A blow for power in the North Sea
The Herald|David Ross, Highland Correspondent|August 22, 2006
The 280ft towers will stand in up to 150ft of water and will generate enough electricity to meet up to 75% of the needs of the oilfield which pumps 3500 barrels of oil ashore a day. This £35m, five-year pilot could be the first step towards establishing a 200-turbine farm on the site which could meet 20% of Scotland's energy needs.
The 280ft towers will stand in up to 150ft of water and will generate enough electricity to meet up to 75% of the needs of the oilfield which pumps 3500 barrels of oil ashore a day. This £35m, five-year pilot could be the first step towards establishing a 200-turbine farm on the site which could meet 20% of Scotland's energy needs.
The biggest wind turbine to be installed in the sea should be in position today after leaving the former Nigg Fabrication yard in the Cromarty Firth last night.
The Cromarty Nigg ferry and attendant tugs spun in the farewell as she started her journey to the Beatrice oilfield 16 miles off the Caithness coast where she will be joined by a twin within the next week.
The 280ft towers will stand in up to 150ft of water and will generate enough electricity to meet up to 75% of the needs of the oilfield which pumps 3500 barrels of oil ashore a day.
This £35m, five-year pilot could be the first step towards establishing a 200-turbine farm on the site which could meet 20% of Scotland's energy needs.
It is a joint venture between Talisman …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]The biggest wind turbine to be installed in the sea should be in position today after leaving the former Nigg Fabrication yard in the Cromarty Firth last night.
The Cromarty Nigg ferry and attendant tugs spun in the farewell as she started her journey to the Beatrice oilfield 16 miles off the Caithness coast where she will be joined by a twin within the next week.
The 280ft towers will stand in up to 150ft of water and will generate enough electricity to meet up to 75% of the needs of the oilfield which pumps 3500 barrels of oil ashore a day.
This £35m, five-year pilot could be the first step towards establishing a 200-turbine farm on the site which could meet 20% of Scotland's energy needs.
It is a joint venture between Talisman Energy (UK) and Scottish and Southern Energy to see if deep water wind generation is commercially viable.
Allan MacAskill, Talisman's project director, was there to see the structure towed out.
He said: "She will be the first wind turbine in international waters, the furthest from shore, the biggest and in the deepest water. She should be at Beatrice for first light and be installed by teatime tomorrow. We will start to assemble the second turbine on Wednesday and would hope to have it done by Friday and ready to go out to the Beatrice that day or Saturday. But we will need the weather."
The turbines will stand on top of a jacket which is already installed. The 17.5 tonne blades will clear the water by more than 70ft. This is required to allow yachts to pass safely.
Mr MacAskill said the vision of the 200-turbine deep water farm would only be realised if the costs could be brought down. "They are not commercially attractive just now, but we can see how we could get the costs down."
He said he liked to cite the example of the liberty ships America made in the Second World War. The first one took 242 days to build, but the fastest one was eventually built in four and a half days.
He did not accept the criticism that the turbines would blight the horizon. They would hardly be seen.
Europe has contributed £4m towards the Beatrice pilot, and the Scottish Executive and UK Department of Trade and Industry £3m each.