Credit: Ocean Winds
The Moray West offshore wind farm is nearing the end of the construction phase and will become fully operational during 2025, in line with the originally projected commercial operations date, said Ocean Winds.
When the project comes online, Ocean Winds will be the largest offshore wind operator in Scotland, according to the company.
Moray West features 60 Siemens Gamesa SG 14-222 DD turbines, and supplied with “Power Boost”, each unit can generate up to 14.7 MW output, making them the largest offshore commercial turbines in Europe.
“Subsea surveys, boulder clearance, bomb disposal, scour protection, monopiles, vibro-hammers, transition pieces, cables, onshore and offshore substations – and finally, the deployment of the world’s largest capacity offshore wind turbine to date. Moray West really has ‘set the bar high’ in terms of both technological innovation, and rock-solid project execution”, said Pete Geddes, Project Director of Moray West.
“More important than ever, the project has been delivered on time, on budget, and with the highest level of quality.”
The pre-assembly activity of the 60 turbines has been managed by Siemens Gamesa, who also manufactured all 180 blades for the project at their facility in Hull, the UK. The site has recruited over 600 people in the last twelve months and employs around 1,300 people.
Moray West, part of Ocean Winds’ 6 GW portfolio of secured offshore wind farms in the UK, is expected to inject over GBP 800 million into the local Scottish economy throughout its lifespan.
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Siemens Gamesa has been marshalling all turbine components at the Port of Nigg, from where the Cadeler heavy-lift vessel Wind Orca undertook the installation.
The vessel arrived on site in April 2024 to install the first offshore wind turbine generators (WTGs) onto the previously set monopiles and transition pieces (TPs).
Several months later, the 882 wind farm delivered the first power and exported it to Scotland’s National Electricity Transmission System (NETS).
Following the installation of all primary project components across foundations, the offshore and onshore substations, inter-array and export cables, and now the wind turbines – the project continues its commissioning and testing phase before full acceptance of the wind farm in 2025, said Ocean Winds.
“With two more projects in development in the United Kingdom and Moray East already operating, we are proud to be leaders in the United Kingdom’s energy transition. Over more than a decade developing our projects in the Moray Firth region we have been key drivers in developing the supply chain, creating and support varied jobs in Scotland and the wider UK”, said Adam Morrison, Ocean Winds UK Country Manager.
