Marine Scotland Map showing constraints and areas for further investigation for Offshore Wind to the West of Argyll
Marine Scotland have published their latest report Scoping Study for Offshore Wind Farm Development in Scottish Waters investigating the offshore wind plan options. This report includes the first discussion of development outside Scottish Territorial Waters (STW) to 200 nautical miles and also considers the medium term options (beyond 2020).
The report builds on the earlier report Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy in Scottish Territorial Waters (Blue Seas – Green Energy) using an improved (and more systematic) assessment process to consider current commercial activities such as fishing, environmental factors and other interests including recreational uses, visual and landscape impacts.
Whilst the previous report focused on the short term options up to 2020 within Scottish Territorial Waters (STW), the latest report extends this to include the area out to 200 nautical miles. Much of this area is deeper than 60m and will require improvements in technology so is considered in terms of longer term development.
The study is the first investigation of the wider area and longer term options for Offshore Wind around Scotland. It will be followed by the development of Regional Locational Guidelines for offshore wind development and this will then be followed by a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA).
This is a long process that must involve wide consultation. The short term sites in the previous plan (West of Islay and West of Tiree) are still going through Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The new study is looking at areas for investigation beyond this and are unlikely to go ahead before 2020.
The areas identified for further investigation include a large area from the north of Islay to south of Barra. The report identifies this area as having a low to moderate levels of constraint and says that further detailed analysis of the area is required.
It is important to local communities that this process takes full account of the social and economic impacts to the region as well as the broader commercial and strategic benefits of these developments to Scotland as a whole.
