ScottishPower and Shell have confirmed plans to invest a total of £75m into the Scottish supply chain.
The ScotWind bid joint venture will provide £50m in supply chain stimulus funds for their floating wind projects - MarramWind and CampionWind.
The partners were awarded the seabed rights to develop two new floating wind projects through Crown Estate Scotland’s recent leasing round.
It will build a three GigaWatt (GW) offshore wind farm off the North East coast of Scotland and a 2GW offshore wind farm off the East coast.
In addition, ScottishPower was awarded the seabed rights for a fixed foundation project off the coast of Islay that would generate 2GW of power. It will invest a further £25m to support its fixed project MachairWind.
Collectively, the projects have the potential to create enough energy to power almost 8.5 million homes – more than three times the number of homes in Scotland.
The funds, announced today at Scottish Renewables’ Offshore Wind Conference in Glasgow, are designed to help create new offshore wind capability in Scotland that would not otherwise be possible.
Applications to the funds will open up later in the year. Online supply chain registration portals for all three projects are now live.
Mandy Gloyer, the new UK offshore sites manager for ScottishPower Renewables, said: “These funds will open up huge opportunities for the supply chain in Scotland as we gear up to lead the development of commercial-scale floating wind and kick start a new global green offshore industry.
“We look forward to working with government, partners, industry and the supply chain to shape the funds and maximise their impact on the Scottish economy, with jobs and investment for local people and businesses across the country.”
Melissa Read, UK offshore wind business manager at Shell, added: “These funds are in addition to direct project investment in supply chain facilities and will directly support the Scottish supply chain.
“This includes businesses keen to make the transition to the renewables sector through investment in infrastructure, facilities that will manufacture and service offshore wind projects and support for companies to innovate and up-skill.”
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