Scotland’s First Minister, John Swinney, visited Eyemouth last week to mark the completion of the country’s newest offshore wind farm in which the ESB has a stake.
Swinney heard details about the wind farm, Neart na Gaoithe (NnG), as it becomes fully operational.
The wind farm, located 15.5km off the coast of Fife, has 54 wind turbines now generating up to 450 megawatts of clean, green electricity.
Neart na Gaoithe, [translated as “Strength of the wind”], is co-owned by EDF power solutions UK and Ireland and ESB.
Jim Dollard, Executive Director, Generation Trading, ESB; Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney; Matthieu Hue, Chief Executive, EDF Power Solutions UK and Ireland; Matthias Haag, NnG Project Director, pictured at Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind project
It has directly contributed around £200 million to the economy through work with local supply chains including more than 50 suppliers based in and around Scotland during the wind farm’s construction, according to the ESB.
This includes Forth Ports at the Port of Dundee, Perth-based civil engineering firm I&H Brown, Briggs Marine in Burntisland and Inverkeithing-based Muir Construction Ltd.
The wind farm’s operations and maintenance base, opened in January 2023, is already playing a significant role in the Eyemouth community and will continue to do so for the 25-year lifespan of the wind farm, with 50 high quality jobs required to manage the wind farm, the ESB says.
For the last three years, NnG has supported initiatives across the east coast of Scotland with local sponsorships and grants awarded to over 25 community organisations, it says.
This has included the Berwickshire Marine Education Centre and the Anstruther Harbour Festival. A community benefit fund will be launched later this summer for the communities closest to the wind farm and its onshore substation, the ESB says.
First Minister John Swinney said that “offshore wind is one of Scotland’s greatest modern success stories”.
“Seeing NnG up close and hearing about the positive impact it will have on the local area for decades to come, including the creation of around 50 high-quality jobs over the next 25 years, showcases the enormous benefits offshore wind will bring to communities across the country,” he said.
“Driving economic growth and tackling the climate emergency are two of my government’s priorities, and NnG is a shining example of how these priorities can work hand in hand to reshape Scotland’s future for the better,” Swinney added.
