UK Awards $71M Grant to Create Largest Scottish Floating Wind Farm Port

The UK Government awarded a £55 million ($71 million) grant to Scotland’s Port of Cromarty Firth to drive the next phase of expansion which will be used to support planned float offshore wind farms. The grant is the first of two announced under a program launched by the government in 2023 to support the development of port infrastructure needed for the floating wind sector.

Located on the northeastern shore of Scotland near Inverness, the Port of Cromarty Firth has a long history of supporting the offshore industries first in oil and gas and more recently offshore wind. Port officials highlight that its position with deep, sheltered waters is perfectly suited to accommodate large ships. The plan calls for bringing the wind farm components to the port where they will expand the lay area as well as provide space for the construction, installation, and operational support.

The components will be manufactured around the UK. The new facility will be the Quay West and the Phase 5 laydown area. The floating turbines can be assembled and pre-commissioned, before being towed to the wind farm site.

The port presented a plan that would make it the UK’s first custom-built integration hub for floating offshore wind construction. It said the expansion was critical to meeting the plans for the sector.

The UK remains the largest installed base of offshore wind in Europe although China surpassed it for total size in the global market. The government has mapped a strong strategy to make wind energy a key component in the long-term strategy and committed to investments in floating wind farms which will be the next phase of the industry.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero launched the Floating Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme (FLOWMIS) to meet the port needs of the floating wind sector. The Department confirmed the grant to the Invergordon-based Trust that operates the port as part of an effort to fund the proposed expansion project. They said today’s grant would pave the way for the port to secure matching funds from banks and investors.

The port also plans to use the grant to start the process of awarding pre-construction contracts for the expansion project. They report the work must be completed by 2027 to be ready for the first commercial-scale floating wind projects.

Port Talbot is the second port selected under the FLOWMIS program. The Department reports the plans for the shortlisted port are currently under development. Talbot is located on Swansea Bay in Wales.