ABERDEEN has been selected as the strategic and operational headquarters for floating wind venture Green Volt.
This selection marks Aberdeen as a key player in the shift towards renewable energy. It marks the first major announcement from the industry after the UK Government chose Aberdeen as the base for GB Energy. The project will create up to 40 direct jobs at its headquarters, which is anticipated to spur around £2.5 billion in investment and 2,800 jobs in the construction sector.
The project will be located 50 miles from Peterhead, featuring up to 35 floating turbines capable of producing 560 megawatts of power to feed the grid and provide clean energy to nearby oil and gas facilities.
The venture is a collaboration between Flotation Energy from Edinburgh and Vårgrønn of Norway. T
he decision to base Green Volt’s HQ in Aberdeen was made following a successful contract award from the UK Government in September, following earlier approvals from Marine Scotland and Aberdeenshire Council for offshore and onshore development. Aberdeen was picked for its global expertise, innovation, and its position as the leading hub for subsea supply chain companies in Europe, making it the perfect location for strategic and operational decisions for this significant energy infrastructure project.
Flotation Energy and Vårgrønn have pledged to invest significantly in the Scottish supply chain, with Green Volt expected to inject at least £800 million into local businesses, positioning Scotland at the forefront of this emerging floating wind industry.
This project is the first major commercial venture in Europe for floating wind energy, made possible by the joint efforts of the industry and the UK and Scottish governments to streamline planning processes and secure CfD contracts.
Green Volt will serve as a crucial foundation for the large-scale deployment of floating offshore wind in Britain, contributing to the UK Government’s ambition to achieve five gigawatts by 2030.
Lord Nicol Stephen, the chief executive of Flotation Energy, stated:
“Aberdeen is the ideal headquarters for Green Volt – set to be the world’s largest floating windfarm. It places the city at the very centre of the energy transition, building on its deserved reputation as a global energy capital and a subsea centre of excellence. Green Volt in Aberdeen will allow the project to benefit from the region’s world-class offshore skills – and will be a significant boost to the city’s energy transition.
“Green Volt is a trailblazing, multibillion pound project which will kickstart jobs and investment by companies right across the Scottish offshore supply chain. The choice of our HQ in Aberdeen is clear evidence of our strong commitment to support local jobs and businesses wherever possible.
“We also look forward to the exciting opportunity of working closely with GB Energy, the Energy Transition Zone (ETZ), OEUK and the NSTA – especially as they have all decided to locate their headquarters in Aberdeen.
“It is a transformative time for the city. You can sense some real and exciting momentum growing for Aberdeen and the north-east.”
Stephen Bull, chief executive of Vårgrønn, added: “Aberdeen is the ideal choice to house the Green Volt project organisation. The UK’s success story within offshore wind has been built on the shoulders of the oil and gas industry. Aberdeen is at the heart of a globally-competitive offshore supply chain which will bring innovation and opportunities for the whole offshore wind sector. We can’t wait to get going in the Granite City.”
Flotation Energy and Vårgrønn are also looking ahead to Cenos, a much larger 1.4-gigawatt project around 125 miles off Aberdeen.
Scottish Government Acting Net Zero and Energy Secretary Gillian Martin commented: “I welcome the news that Flotation Energy and Vårgrønn’s Green Volt project will be headquartered in Aberdeen. On track to become one of Europe’s largest windfarms, Green Volt underlines Scotland’s position at the forefront of floating offshore wind development and deployment globally.
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“Investment such as that by Flotation Energy and Vårgrønn demonstrates the commitment of the sector to delivering on Scotland’s huge renewables potential and to supporting a just transition, and strengthens Scotland’s place as a leading global location for floating offshore wind deployment and supply chain investment.”
Sir Ian Wood, chairman of ETZ, stated: “”Aberdeen, with its world-renowned expertise in offshore engineering, is the natural home for this world-leading project which will kick start the pipeline of exciting opportunities on offer for Scotland and the wider UK in floating offshore wind.
“With £2.5billion of investment being unlocked, headquartering Green Volt in Aberdeen sends a major signal to domestic and international investors that north-east Scotland is the place to invest in and deliver projects in this burgeoning industry.”
