BW Ideol secures Scottish port site for manufacturing of wind floaters

French floating wind technology developer BW Ideol said Monday it has signed a partnership agreement with Ardersier Port Authority, securing access to the Scottish port for the production of its concrete floaters.

The parties will study the creation of a serial production line for floating wind substructures based on BW Ideol’s technology.

The agreement provides BW Ideol with exclusive and long-term access to UK’s largest brownfield port.

According to the announcement, dredging works will start in October with completion expected by August 2022. BW Ideol said further details on the new port masterplan will be available during a signing ceremony to come.

“The Scottish government has actively initiated the development of a large floating wind industry in Scotland through the Scotwind Leasing and the launch of a consultation for a new Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore wind for Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas Decarbonisation,” said BW Ideol chief executive Paul de la Gueriviere.

The resulting pipeline of projects creates an opportunity for the development of a dedicated supply chain in Scotland, the CEO added.

BW Ideol, in which BW Offshore became a strategic investor earlier this year, is part of the Floating Energy Allyance, one of the bidders in the Scotwind leasing round.

The Scotwind process is expected to lead to the deployment of up to 10 GW of fixed-foundation and floating offshore wind farms. Crown Estate Scotland recently said it will open a new leasing process specifically aimed at offshore wind projects intended to decarbonise Scotland’s oil and gas sector, and at innovation projects of below 100 MW.

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