More wind for joint venture partners

During the next year Fluor and Airtricity will work with a variety of local authorities, statutory and non-statutory entities and other stakeholders in order to undertake site specific consultations and environmental impact assessments before bringing forward a final plan for development of the site.The proposed wind farm could have a total capacity of up to 700 megawatts (MW) from power generated by wind turbines at a site 10km from the Angus coastline which covers some 93 sq/km.

The exclusivity award by The Crown Estate follows an invitation for bids for Scottish Territorial Waters for the development of offshore wind farms and is subject to the satisfactory completion of the Strategic Environmental Assessment for offshore wind announced by the Scottish Government in October 2008.

Fluor Corporation’s senior vice president and head of its Infrastructure Business Line, Patrick Flaherty, said, ‘We are extremely pleased to have been awarded this agreement and look forward to working closely with Airtricity and all the other key stakeholders to develop the Bell Rock project. It is an important project for Fluor and is consistent with the company’s strategy of applying our engineering and technical expertise to assist our clients in reducing carbon emissions and increasing the supply of green energy.’

Fluor and Airtricity are already developing the Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm Project, the world’s largest offshore wind farm currently under construction. Having successfully completed the development phase of the 50:50 joint venture, obtained all necessary approvals and signed the construction contract, the 500 megawatt project in the Thames Estuary will provide carbon neutral, renewable energy for more than 415,000 homes, equivalent to the approximate domestic electricity demand for the County of Suffolk.