Ardersier Port is set to become a key hub for offshore wind projects, boosting Scotland’s green energy ambitions and creating jobs.
Cerulean Winds has chosen this facility to help speed up floating offshore wind opportunities in Scotland. They’ve got some serious plans, with 3GW of floating wind power projects in the works in the central North Sea.
The facility is still being developed but is expected to open later this year. It’s already secured a whopping £400 million in funding, including £100 million from the UK National Wealth Fund and the Scottish National Investment Bank. Once it’s up and running, it’ll be the largest offshore wind facility on Scotland’s North Sea coast.
Cerulean is really excited about this move, seeing it as a big step toward making the UK and Scottish governments’ dream of a leading floating offshore wind industry a reality. They believe that by 2050, this sector could bring in over £47 billion to the UK economy and create around 100,000 jobs.
Their first project, the Aspen development, is a 1GW wind farm about 100km from shore, aiming to start generating power by 2028-29. This project is all about boosting Scotland’s supply chain and directing over £1 billion into FLOW manufacturing and services, with the Ardersier facility acting as a key hub.
Dan Jackson, one of the founders of Cerulean Winds, mentioned that this is a crucial moment for the UK’s floating offshore wind industry. He pointed out that while the UK and Scottish governments have been supportive, there’s still more to be done. If they don’t act quickly, they risk losing out to established international supply chains.
Lewis Gillies, the CEO of Haventus, expressed his delight that Cerulean Winds chose Ardersier. He emphasized that the facility will be operational by late 2025 and will support multiple large-scale offshore wind projects. This is a fantastic opportunity to create green jobs in Scotland and help oil and gas operators decarbonize.
The Ardersier site is part of the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport, and there are plans for it to become the UK’s first FLOW manufacturing hub, creating hundreds of jobs and establishing a vital industrial base. Developers will be able to produce and service floating foundations right from this location.
