The consortium behind the plan to build the 11 wind turbines have announced a series of working agreements with turbine manufacturers and adjustments to the project, further cementing its commitment to see construction through.
As well as proposing to build 11m bigger turbine blades, the consortium, which includes Vattenfall, Technip, and the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG), want to increase the height of the units by 3.5m. It has signed Memorandas of Understanding with six turbine manufacturers.
Iain Todd, spokesman for the project said that placing the smaller wind turbines closest to shore and the larger ones further out to sea would minimise the visual impact of the wind farm, and expressed his hope that this would boost the chances of approval by politicians at Holyrood.
“[The project] would help to attract a new wave of inward investment in plant and facilities and capture the major jobs creation that will come with this,” said Mr Todd.
He added: “Cities like Bremerhaven in Germany and Esbjerg in Denmark are already taking advantage and prospering from the growth in this expanding industry. So should Aberdeen.”
The most prominent critic of the proposed £230m wind farm is Donald Trump, the American millionaire who built a golf course with sea views out onto the site where the 11 turbines would be built.
Mr Trump opened his golf course just over a month ago, and has put plans for the construction of hotels on the site on hold until a final decision is made by the Scottish Government.
