Offshore wind

Green Investment Group, TotalEnergies and RIDG reveal west of Orkney ScotWind bid in Scotland

29 September 2021

  • Consortium of Green Investment Group, TotalEnergies and RIDG responded to the ScotWind round bid for the ‘N1’ site near Orkney and Caithness. 

A consortium of Macquarie’s Green Investment Group, TotalEnergies and Scottish developer RIDG has announced their bid for an offshore wind project west of the Orkney Islands. The 2 GW proposal – named the West of Orkney Windfarm – has the potential to power more than two million homes and is currently being assessed by the Crown Estate Scotland as part of the ScotWind leasing round.

The bid is the culmination of five years of engagement between the consortium and stakeholders in Caithness and Orkney, which includes Memorandums of Understanding with Orkney Harbour Authority and Scrabster Harbour Trust to enhance port infrastructure and position the area competitively to support offshore wind projects in the future.

An exclusive Memorandum of Understanding has also been signed with the European Marine Energy Centre on Orkney (EMEC), formalising a long-standing relationship in technical innovation and environmental data collection, building on EMEC’s unique marine energy research and development facilities and expertise.  

"Scotland has been a pioneer in the deployment of renewable electricity – and now, through projects to be delivered via ScotWind, we believe it could play a role in showcasing a deep and economy wide energy transition. By working with local partners, we can ensure that we create sustainable, long-term jobs in Caithness and Orkney as part of this transition to a net zero economy."

Edward Northam
Head of GIG Europe

"TotalEnergies is delighted to participate in this leasing round alongside GIG and RIDG. We will provide our resources and expertise in offshore operations and maintenance to ensure the success of this project in close collaboration with the local community and industry which we aim to strengthen. Our participation in the leasing round is an illustration of our commitment to support Scotland in its energy transition towards its Net Zero target by 2045. If awarded, this project will contribute to our goal of reaching 100 GW of renewable generation capacity by 2030."

Julien Pouget
Senior Vice President Renewables, TotalEnergies

"RIDG first put the West of Orkney Windfarm on the map back in 2016; since then, we’ve been working closely with local stakeholders to ensure any project we bring forward delivers for the local economy. We were therefore delighted to submit our bid as part of a consortium designed specifically around this location, and particularly excited to do this with the support of so many local businesses, who will be vital for successful project delivery."

Mike Hay
Director, RIDG

“As a location, Orkney offers a natural environment like no other, particularly Scapa Flow which is the second largest natural harbour in the world. Our Masterplan embraces decarbonisation and a transition away from fossil fuels. It includes a range of infrastructure enhancements across key locations around the Orkney mainland, including a new deep-water facility in Scapa Flow, which will be crucial to us realising our ambition to deliver social and economic benefit from offshore wind energy. The West of Orkney Windfarm is ideally positioned to make significant use of these future facilities and this collaboration represents another key step on our journey to position Orkney as a base for innovation and a major contributor in delivering a carbon-free future for the islands.” 

Jim Buck
Harbourmaster, Orkney Harbour Authority 

“Offshore wind is a once in a generation opportunity for Scrabster Harbour to capitalise on its capability as an operations and maintenance base for a new fleet of offshore wind farms – which could create sustainable long-term skilled local jobs for decades ahead. We continue to invest strategically in our port infrastructure – most recently in the Ola Pier and deepwater basin – and our longstanding engagement with the West of Orkney Windfarm gives us confidence to not only further think and plan strategically for the port, but also to engage more widely to explore how Scrabster and West Caithness can seize the wider economic, educational and social opportunity of offshore wind in Scotland.”

Sandy Mackie
Manager, Scrabster Harbour Trust

“EMEC has been working on innovative marine energy projects for the last 15 years helping to deliver £306 million of additional value to the UK economy. Our current portfolio now covers wave and tidal technologies, green hydrogen and floating wind, which all support the governments ambitions to reach net zero. We are looking forward to expanding our activities to support the team with the development of the N1 West of Orkney ScotWind site, ensuring that it has a positive environmental and economic impact both locally and internationally.”

Neil Kermode
Managing Director, EMEC 

The consortium has undertaken extensive site investigations, including birds, marine mammals and near-shore geophysical surveys, and has finalised a grid connection agreement with National Grid that will enable the project to commence generation in 2029.

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About TotalEnergies

TotalEnergies is a broad energy company that produces and markets energies on a global scale: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables and electricity. Our 105,000 employees are committed to energy that is ever more affordable, clean, reliable and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, TotalEnergies puts sustainable development in all its dimensions at the heart of its projects and operations to contribute to the well-being of people.

About RIDG

RIDG – Renewable Infrastructure Development Group – was established as an independent, specialised offshore wind project development company with the knowledge and experience to identify, design and deliver high quality consented assets for strategic partners to build and operate. RIDG presents a simpler, leaner and more flexible approach to project development, one that draws upon the strengths of both established and emerging suppliers to deliver projects safely, efficiently and cost effectively.