Laura-Jane Cameron

Public Notice of Application – Variation of Offshore Consent

Inch Cape Offshore Limited has applied to Scottish Ministers to vary its offshore consent – granted under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 on 16th July, 2020 – to construct and operate Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm. If successful, the variation will remove the maximum generation capacity of the wind farm. Full details of the notice can be found below. In addition, you can read the letter of application here and the accompanying report here.

                                                                                                             ELECTRICITY ACT 1989 (AS AMENDED)

     THE ELECTRICITY GENERATING STATIONS (APPLICATIONS FOR VARIATION OF CONSENT) (SCOTLAND) REGULATIONS 2013 (AS                                                                                                                                              AMENDED)

Notice is hereby given that Inch Cape Offshore Limited (ICOL), registered under company registration SC373173 at 5th Floor, 40 Princes Street, Edinburgh EH2 2BY, has applied to the Scottish Ministers to vary the consent granted under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 granted on 16th of July, 2020 to construct and operate offshore generating station known as Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm, located 15-22km east off Angus coastline with a total area of 150km2 (central latitude and longitude co-ordinates: 56o 49.457’N 2o 19.554’W)

The application made under section 36C of the Electricity Act 1989, seeks to remove the maximum generating capacity of the Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm from the Section 36 Consent. No amendments to physical parameters of the wind turbine generators or associated infrastructure are being sought through this amendment.

The variation application and supporting information is available for review on the following websites:

http://marine.gov.scot/ml/inch-cape-offshore-windfarm-revised-design

www.inchcapewind.com/newsroom

Any representations should be made in writing by email to MS.MarineRenewables@gov.scot or by post to The Scottish Government, Marine Scotland Licensing Operations Team, Marine Laboratory, 375 Victoria Road, Aberdeen, AB11 9DB, identifying the proposal and specifying grounds for objection or support, not later than 1st March 2021, although the Scottish Ministers may consider representations received after this date. Representations should be dated and should clearly state the name (in block capitals) and the full return email or postal address of those making representation.  

Where the Scottish Ministers decide to exercise their discretion to do so the Scottish Ministers shall cause a Public Local Inquiry (PLI) to be held.

Following receipt of all views and representations, the Scottish Ministers will determine the application for consent in one of two ways:

  • Consent to the variation application, with or without conditions attached; or
  • Reject the variation application.

Fair Processing Notice

The Scottish Government’s Marine Scotland Licensing Operations Team (“MS-LOT”) determine applications for marine licences under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010, the Marine and Coastal Act 2009 and section 36 consents under The Electricity Act 1989 (as amended). During the consultation process any person having an interest in the outcome of the application may make a representation to MS-LOT. The representation may contain personal information, for example a name or address. This representation will only be used for the purpose of determining an application and will be stored securely in the Scottish Government’s official corporate record. Representations will be shared with the applicant and/or agent acting on behalf of the applicant, any people or organisations that we consult in relation to the application, the Directorate of Planning and Environmental Appeals should the Scottish Ministers call a PLI and, where necessary, be published online, however personal information will be removed before sharing or publishing.  

A full privacy notice can be found at: https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/marine/Licensing/marine/PrivacyNotice. If you are unable to access this, or you have any queries or concerns about how your personal information will be handled, contact MS-LOT at: ms.marinerenewables@gov.scot or Marine Scotland – Licensing Operations Team, Marine Laboratory, 375 Victoria Road, Aberdeen, AB11 9DB.

Red Rock Power Forms New Inch Cape Joint Venture with ESB

  • Developer sells equal share of offshore wind farm project to ESB as it continues to progress forward
  • Inch Cape poised to play key role in Scotland’s green economic recovery and become one of the country’s largest single sources of renewable energy
Edinburgh-based Red Rock Power Limited has formed a 50:50 joint venture with ESB, the leading Irish energy group, for Inch Cape Offshore Limited and its offshore wind farm development.

The Red Rock Power – ESB partnership will harness both companies’ wealth of expertise within the wind energy sector and support their mutual growth ambitions as they continue to strengthen their respective UK wind portfolios, with the potential to collaborate on other projects in the future.

As well as powering up to one million homes and supporting both the UK and Scottish Governments’ net zero targets, Inch Cape is poised to play a key role in a green economic recovery through the creation of skilled jobs and opportunities for the local supply chain.

Guy Madgwick, Red Rock Power Limited CEO, said: “Inch Cape will, without a doubt, make a considerable impact on the country’s clean energy targets and create significant opportunities to support a green economic recovery. We look forward to working alongside our colleagues at ESB on the project and to applying synergies within our teams to drive the development forward to a successful build.”

Inch Cape is set to be constructed 15km off the Angus Coast in the East of Scotland and to become one of the country’s largest single sources of renewable energy. The project recently received approval to increase its capacity to up to one gigawatt having already secured both onshore and offshore consents in 2019. The wind farm will connect into the national grid at Cockenzie in East Lothian.

Jim Dollard, Executive Director Generation and Trading at ESB, welcomed the announcement. “We look forward to pooling our expertise and experience with a partner of the calibre of Red Rock Power to deliver the Inch Cape project. With consent for up to one gigawatt and 72 turbines, this is a milestone investment in offshore wind for ESB and our ambition to lead the transition to a low-carbon future. This builds on similar partnerships ESB has with leading renewable energy companies in developing offshore wind projects off the coast of Ireland and Great Britain.”

Scotland’s Energy Minister, Paul Wheelhouse, said: “Offshore wind in Scotland’s 462,000 km2 of waters will play a vital part in achieving our net zero ambitions while helping to drive a strong, green economic recovery. Inch Cape has the potential to significantly contribute to this recovery, to help deliver Scotland’s net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 and to support the Scottish supply chain. Therefore I welcome the partnership between Red Rock and ESB as the project moves forward to the next phase.

“Our seas are host to some of the best offshore wind resources in the world, supporting the continuing growth and expansion of the sector. We want to harness this huge resource for our energy system, unlocking significant investment in the supply chain to create more green jobs across the sector and support the wider decarbonisation of our energy system, including electrification of transport and heat.”

Madgwick added: “We sought a partner who shared our passion for renewable energy, supporting UK industry growth and tackling climate change. We are excited to be working with ESB and for the potential to collaborate on other projects in the future as we continue to expand our company both in the UK and across Europe.”

ESB, through its Brighter Future strategy to lead the transition to a low carbon future, has ramped up its investment and expertise in offshore wind generation, one of the main technologies underpinning the clean electricity systems that will power our societies into the future.

Red Rock Power Appoints Inch Cape Project Director As It Commits To Building Wind Farm

  • Adam Ezzamel to steer project as development moves forward

Red Rock Power Limited has appointed Adam Ezzamel as Project Director of the Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm as it moves forward with development. He brings over 10 years of experience working on and leading major UK and Scottish offshore wind projects including Aberdeen Bay and Neart na Gaoithe and will lead the Inch Cape project team.

Guy Madgwick, CEO of Red Rock Power Limited, said: “Inch Cape is a strong, viable proposition and we are committed to completing the wind farm. Adam’s appointment comes as we look to accelerate our plans and his experience will prove invaluable as we continue to progress with the project.”

Inch Cape – owned by Red Rock Power subsidiary, Inch Cape Offshore Limited – is consented for up to 72 turbines off the Angus Coast and has an existing grid connection at Cockenzie in East Lothian.

Adam added: “I’ve been very impressed with the Inch Cape development, both as an outside observer and as part of the delivery team. In Inch Cape lies significant opportunities and I look forward to working with the team, supply chain and stakeholders as we work towards bringing the wind farm to fruition.”

Inch Cape Wind Farm Granted Consent for Improved Offshore Proposal

  • Development reaches key milestone ahead of CfD bid
  • New plans will see fewer, more efficient turbines installed 15km off Angus coastline in East of Scotland

Inch Cape Offshore Limited (ICOL) has secured consent from the Scottish Government for its alternative wind farm proposal submitted last August. The project reaches this key milestone as it prepares to bid in the third Contract for Difference (CfD) funding allocation round later this month.

The new design for up to 72 turbines is an improved alternative to ICOL’s original consented design (for up to 110 turbines) which was previously secured in 2014. The new proposal sees fewer but taller and higher capacity turbines, significantly improving the efficiency of the wind farm. This reduction, which would also reduce the number of export cables required, provides an opportunity to significantly cut construction time and costs to the end user. The new design, with less infrastructure requirements, also further decreases the risk of potential environmental impacts.

Ben King, Offshore Consents Manager at ICOL, said: “The opportunity to propose an alternative design, which will see significant economic benefits and reduced risk of environmental impacts, is testament to how new technologies are continuing to transform the industry and bring improved benefits to the consumer. Securing approval is a key step forward ahead of our CfD bid and while our previous consent remains valid, the progression of our plans and work over the last few months very much focused around this new design.”

In a further step forward for the project, ICOL is currently conducting the second phase of its offshore site investigation in the Outer Firth of Tay and Firth of Forth following initial works at the end of 2018. The investigation has so far completed geotechnical studies and is expected to finalise a geophysical survey in July, with seabed data informing the next detailed design phase of wind farm.

The development is expected to bring at least £558m and 858 jobs* to the UK economy during construction through the local supply chain. ICOL is currently finalising its assessment for the location of its Operations and Maintenance base at a local port on the East Coast, which will bring further considerable economic benefits to the local area for the duration of the wind farm.

ENDS

*Based on the lowest generating capacity considered in the application. The final design may allow for a greater generating capacity and therefore this would have greater benefits on the economy.

Cockenzie land agreement reached for substation development as council seeks to maximise economic opportunities

An option agreement has been signed which will enable Inch Cape Offshore Limited (ICOL), a subsidiary of Edinburgh based energy company, Red Rock Power Limited, to purchase a small part of the former Cockenzie Power Station site from East Lothian Council.

ICOL received Planning Permission in Principle from Scottish Ministers to build onshore transmission works at Cockenzie in February. The substation and associated infrastructure would be used to connect the proposed wind farm 15km off the Angus coast to the National Grid, thus making use of the existing grid connection at the former power station.

ICOL is continuing to work on options to significantly reduce the footprint of the onshore transmission works (by around two thirds, to approximately seven acres), as well as to move to the western part of the site. The final location, footprint and design of the works remain subject to further consultation. It is hoped ongoing collaboration will allow the majority of the former power station site to remain available for further development opportunities to boost the local economy.

The wider site was acquired by the council last year to support its ambitions for promoting economic growth in the local area and creating employment opportunities. The site is a key strategic component of the East Lothian Economic Development Strategy.

Monica Patterson, Depute Chief Executive, Partnerships and Community Services, East Lothian Council, said:

“East Lothian Council has continued to work closely with Red Rock Power and the Inch Cape Offshore Limited project team, and we are pleased to have reached an agreement which will enable a substantially smaller area of the western site to be purchased from the council.

“This means significant land will remain available for opportunities to boost the local economy and create employment opportunities. Having reached an agreement on land for the proposed onshore substation, we are progressing work to understand the full potential of the wider site in order to support growth of the local economy.”

The wind farm is expected to power at least half a million homes.

Guy Madgwick, CEO of Red Rock Power, added: “Reaching this agreement with East Lothian Council is a key milestone for the Inch Cape project and a significant step forward in our plans to deliver a project with such national economic importance as well as contributing significantly to Scotland’s renewable energy targets. We look forward to working with the council’s planning and development teams on the next phase of the consultation process.”

The purchase of the site will follow the progression of the Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm project as a whole.  Further details of the option agreement are commercially confidential at this stage.

Inch Cape Project to host Substation Design and Community Artwork Information Events

  • ICOL team to hold events later this month to offer locals an opportunity to feedback on Transmission Works design concepts
  • Developer to launch community artwork project

Inch Cape Offshore Limited (ICOL) is to hold community consultation events in Prestonpans and Port Seton later this month to give locals an opportunity to see visualisations of its proposed Onshore Transmission Works, share feedback and learn more about the next phase of the development.

Events will be held at the Prestonpans Community Centre on Tuesday 23rd April 2019 – 3-8pm and Port Seton Centre on Thursday 25th April 2019 – 3-8pm.

Inch Cape’s Onshore Consents Manager, Marie Adkins, said: “We would welcome the community’s feedback on potential design concepts for the Onshore Transmission Works to help inform our discussions and recommendations to East Lothian Council as part of the detailed design phase. We look forward to seeing locals at the upcoming events and answering any questions they may have.”

The design concepts for the substation, available to see as a 3D digital model at the event, have been created in line with Inch Cape’s ‘Environmental Impact Assessment’ report and engineering limitations, as well as efforts to reduce the footprint of the works.

The team are also looking to consult with the community on a forthcoming art project on or around the site, something ICOL has committed to as part of the Planning Permission in Principle (PPP) consent. The project team hopes to call on local school pupils to submit ideas and will commission a local artist to deliver. More information will be shared at the community events.

Marie added: “We are excited to bring a new community art project to the local area. East Lothian and the Prestonpans, Cockenzie and Port Seton communities in particular, have a wealth of art and cultural heritage so we are keen to help create new installations for future generations. We look forward to working with a local artist to bring this to life.”

Local artists who may be interested in getting involved should contact inchcapewind@redrockpower.co.uk to learn more.

Inch Cape submits new application for Offshore Wind Farm

  • New proposal takes advantage of technological advances
  • Existing consent granted in 2013 remains valid

Inch Cape Offshore Limited (ICOL) has submitted a new application for consent to Marine Scotland to develop an offshore wind farm 15km off the Angus coast. The application and supporting Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) marks another step forward for the project following the launch of a site investigation in July.

ICOL was initially granted permission for the development site and export cable corridor in July 2013. Advances in technology and new learnings across the wind industry since then have allowed the project to identify opportunities to improve design efficiencies and further reduce the risk of potential impacts. While the existing consent remains valid, the team are keen to pursue an alternative proposal that would see fewer, taller and more powerful turbines and a reduced number of export cables that could significantly cut construction time and costs to the end user.

This recent application follows a number of consultation events which took place in Arbroath and St Andrews last year where residents where given an opportunity to learn more about the project and share their feedback. The EIA report is available at various locations across the local community*.

Ian Johnson, ICOL Project Manager, said: “New learnings and technological advances create an opportunity for us to improve on the original proposals. With an approved proposal already under our belt this wasn’t something we were required to do, but felt it was important to integrate new advances where possible and consider what we’ve learnt since our existing consent was granted in 2013 that could further minimise our impacts.

“We look forward to engaging with local communities again to discuss our new proposal and answer any questions they may have”.

*The EIA report will be available at the following locations for public’s perusal:

  • Angus Council – Planning, Angus House, Orchardbank Business Park, Forfar DD8 1AN;
  • Dundee Council – Planning and Building Control, Floor 6, Dundee House, 50 North Lindsay Street, Dundee, DD1 1LS;
  • Fife Council – Enterprise, Planning and Employability Services, Kingdom House, Kingdom Avenue, Glenrothes, KY7 5LY;
  • East Lothian Council, John Muir House, Brewery Park, Haddington, East Lothian, EH41 3HA;
  • Dunbar Library, Bleachingfield Centre, Dunbar, EH42 1DX;
  • Arbroath Library, Hill Terrace, Arbroath, DD11 1AH;
  • Port Seton Library, Community Centre, South Seton Park, Port Seton, EH32 0BG; and
  • St Andrews Library, Church Square, St Andrews, KY16 9NN.

 

Inch Cape Marks Key Milestone In Offshore Wind Development

  • Developer begins three-month site investigation in Outer Firth of Tay and Firth of Forth.

Inch Cape Offshore Limited (ICOL) has taken a step forward in its efforts to bring an offshore wind farm to the East of Scotland after embarking on a three-month site investigation utilising local ports.

The geophysical and geotechnical surveys will be undertaken by up to four vessels on the 150km2 proposed site, 15km off the Angus coast, over 110 days (excluding weather downtime) between end July and October. Surveys will also be carried out along the Export Cable Corridor located within the Outer Firth of Tay and Firth of Forth, with works taking place off the North Berwick and Gullane coast in East Lothian.

Ian Johnson, ICOL Project Manager, said: “The offshore site investigation is a key step forward for the ICOL project. It will help us further understand the local conditions and inform the design of the wind farm as it progresses.

Vessels will operate 24/7 to drill boreholes on the development site and to allow soil sampling, refuelling out of local ports including Dundee and Montrose. Local maritime and fishing communities across Angus, Fife and East Lothian have been and will continue to be consulted throughout the investigation period to help minimise any significant impacts on the industry.

Ian added: “We expect the investigation to create minimal impact on the local fishing community, and are grateful for everyone’s cooperation. This time and investment now will put us in good stead to progress quickly with construction as soon as the necessary permissions are in place, and mitigate the risk of any potential delays during the next phase of the development.

All vessels are requested to remain 500m clear of the agreed exclusion zones to ensure the safety of both engineers and fishermen, and avoid any potential delays to the investigation. Surveys will only take place on certain zones for a matter of weeks with exclusion zones changing throughout the investigation period, allowing fishing practices to continue in collaboration with the project.

Lighthouse Lidar Lights Up Offshore Wind Farm Plans With Zero Downtime

Details of a novel three year project to enhance the energy assessment and revenue forecasting for the proposed Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm 15km off the Angus coast in the East of Scotland demonstrates significant benefits of adopting bespoke technology to gather data. A ZephIR wind Lidar system was installed on an existing lighthouse structure thanks to a custom-built solution developed by SgurrEnergy (now Wood). This innovative solution not only negated the need for an independent offshore structure but the Lidar also took a comprehensive data set at heights from its installed location up to the projected turbine height, required no servicing and reported no major faults for the duration of the project. The project was carried out in cooperation with the Northern Lighthouse Board.

The ZephIR wind Lidar, attached to the world’s oldest surviving sea-washed lighthouse at Bell Rock in Scotland, achieved up to 95% data availability and conducted measurements remotely at heights of more than 180m above the sea during the 3 years of detailed wind direction and wind velocity measurements. These data sets were taken to complement the wind data from an offshore met mast. At the end of the campaign the Lidar and supporting structure were removed with no trace left on the historic lighthouse.

Matt Smith, Offshore Expert at ZephIR Lidar, said: “At ZephIR Lidar, we understand that no deployment is the same and we provide the very best solution and customer service for every unique case. Seeing a ZephIR wind Lidar mounted on a heritage piece of infrastructure like Bell Rock lighthouse was a great experience! We thoroughly enjoyed working with Inch Cape Offshore Limited to get the best wind measurements possible with this a one-of-a-kind solution.”

Pre- and post-deployment validations of the ZephIR wind Lidar were conducted against a 91m IEC compliant mast at the UK Remote Sensing Test Site. From analysis of the results there were no significant changes observed in the Lidar’s performance during the 3 ½ years, with absolute performance fitting well within the industry standard (IEC) requirement for accuracy on wind speed for a first class, calibrated, well-mounted cup anemometer.

John Reddish, Technical Manager, Inch Cape Offshore Limited said: “The ability to set up the Lidar system quickly and take wind measurements without the need for any additional infrastructure brought huge benefits to the project in terms of reducing costs, improving efficiency and staying on schedule.”

John added: “The harsh Scottish coastal climate naturally brings challenges to overcome and we had the additional challenge of protecting the heritage of the Bell Rock lighthouse. Thanks to its small, compact size and robust design, ZephIR’s wind Lidar provided non-intrusive technology that was resistant to the adverse effects of the environment and as a result, helped us gather the necessary data without the need for servicing or delays due to repairs.”

ICOL continues to engage with onshore community

In recent weeks following the Scottish Government’s decision to call-in ICOL’s onshore application for planning permission in principle, the project team has continued to engage with the local community. As well as meeting with the East Lothian Council, the team have also met with both Prestonpans and Port Seton & Cockenzie Community Councils, and local MSPs to discuss how best to work together moving forward to achieve best use of the land at the former Cockenzie Power Station.

ICOL believes there is enough room for multiple developments on the site and has been actively looking at how to reduce the footprint of the proposed transmission works to ensure the adjacent land would be both available and viable for other developments. Feasibility studies regarding the changing size and design of the transmission works’ footprint, which would remain within the red-line boundary, are ongoing and pre-date the call-in and the most recent calls for a further change in location.

If found viable, these potential changes to the footprint would be outlined in detail in the next stage of planning should the project be granted planning permission in principle, during which ICOL would consult further with the local community.

Ian Johnson, ICOL Project Manager, said: “We have met with East Lothian Council and local political stakeholders to express our ongoing commitment and interest in working together moving forward to achieve what is best for the site. We believe there is enough room for multiple developments on the former Cockenzie Power Station site. Following initial feedback from the local community during the consultation phase, we have been actively looking at how to reduce the footprint of the transmission works to ensure adjacent land is available and viable for other plans.

“We look forward to working with East Lothian Council and the local community to ensure development opportunities are maximised for all.”

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