Engineering news
The Scottish government has given formal consent for two neighbouring offshore wind farms, which combined would be the third largest in the world, capable of powering more than a million homes and creating more than 5,000 jobs.
The adjacent projects by Moray Offshore Renewables Limited (MORL) - a joint venture by EDP Renewables (EDPR) and Repsol - and the Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Limited (BOWL) will have a total of 326 wind turbines.
The developments in the Moray Firth, off the coast of Caithness, will be capable of generating up to 1,866MW of electricity.
Fergus Ewing, Scottish energy minister, said: "These wind farms alone could generate gross value worth up to £2.5 billion over their lifetime and generate up to 4,600 jobs during peak construction and up to 580 once in operation.
"Offshore wind has been delayed by the process of the UK government's electricity market reform, but these two consents today offer tangible progress towards real investment opportunity in Scotland."
The announcement could provide "a second lease of life" for the Port of Ardersier, a former oil yard, which is earmarked for transformation to a wind manufacturing "super-hub".
The development has been welcomed by environmental groups, but greeted with caution by fishermen and bird conservationists.
Calum Davidson, Highlands and Islands Enterprise director of energy and low carbon, said: "This is a level of investment which could see the supply chain opportunities and creation of jobs surpass the oil and gas fabrication and installation boom of the '70s and '80s. Our ports and harbours across the region are primed to provide the skills and the strengths required and to unlock hundreds of millions of pounds of new opportunities locally."
But Linda Holt, spokeswoman for Scotland Against Spin, said: "This is an irresponsible consent for an unsustainable technology. By the time we know the devastating environmental impact of so many gigantic turbines on our marine ecology, it will be too late. Fortunately, however, this wind farm is highly unlikely ever to be built.
"Offshore wind is the most expensive form of energy generation that we have and the least cost effective way of reducing our carbon emissions. The fact is Scotland has missed the boat, and it's time politicians stopped talking about thousands of fantasy jobs and throwing millions of public money at a non-starter."