About Caledonia
Caledonia will be a driving force for jobs and economic growth in Northeast Scotland while generating enough green electricity for around two million homes.
The site, being developed by Ocean Winds as part of the Crown Estate Scotland ScotWind leasing round, joins Moray East and Moray West as the company’s third offshore windfarm in Scotland, doubling the energy generation of the Moray Firth.
Need For the Project
The UK Government has set out ambitious targets to reduce emissions over the coming decades. Offshore wind, already a proven and established part of the UK’s energy mix, will play a critical role in decarbonising the power system by 2035 and supporting the UK’s goal of bolstering energy security and transitioning jobs.
Caledonia will play an important role in meeting these targets while also delivering significant economic benefits for Scotland. The project will support skilled jobs, strengthen local supply chains and bring long-term investment to communities across the Moray Firth.
Continued innovation, technological improvements and economies of scale have driven down the cost of offshore wind dramatically in recent years. As one of the most efficient and cost-effective projects in development, Caledonia will help ensure the UK continues to deliver low-carbon power.
Caledonia will also support a just transition for Scotland’s energy workforce, creating opportunities while investing in local skills and supply chains, helping communities across the Moray Firth benefit from the growth of offshore wind.
The UK Government has set out ambitious targets to reduce emissions over the coming decades. Offshore wind, already a proven and established part of the UK’s energy mix, will play a critical role in decarbonising the power system by 2035 and supporting the UK’s goal of bolstering energy security and transitioning jobs.
Caledonia will play an important role in meeting these targets while also delivering significant economic benefits for Scotland. The project will support skilled jobs, strengthen local supply chains and bring long-term investment to communities across the Moray Firth.
Continued innovation, technological improvements and economies of scale have driven down the cost of offshore wind dramatically in recent years. As one of the most efficient and cost-effective projects in development, Caledonia will help ensure the UK continues to deliver low-carbon power.
Caledonia will also support a just transition for Scotland’s energy workforce, creating opportunities while investing in local skills and supply chains, helping communities across the Moray Firth benefit from the growth of offshore wind.
PROJECT INFORMATION
Caledonia’s Unique Advantages
Engineering advances have opened more of the UK’s waters to offshore wind development, but the locations where the multiple factors necessary for low-risk, competitive power production coincide are limited. Caledonia is one such site…
Water Depths
Caledonia’s water depths are 40m to 100m. Three-quarters of the site is at depths that allow for fixed (rather than floating) foundations.
This means most of the site can be built using the same type of jacket foundations which Ocean Winds optimised at Moray East. This enables Caledonia to implement a proven, low-risk, competitive engineering solution.
Distance from Shore
Caledonia is around 40km from shore and 70km from the nearest National Grid connection point. Beyond distances of approximately 120km, DC technology becomes a necessity for subsea transmission. This means the additional costs associated with installing AC-DC convertors offshore and DC-AC convertors onshore can be avoided. The onshore substation will be smaller so will require less land and have a lesser impact on the surrounding environment.
Wind
The wind resource at Caledonia is proven through the experience of previous projects and is of a magnitude more usually associated with deeper waters, further from shore. This means Caledonia will benefit from an excellent wind resource, yielding a higher output at lower costs.
Environment
The Moray Firth is the home of commercial-scale offshore wind generation in Scotland. Caledonia neighbours the Moray East and Moray West sites, and Ocean Winds has had a presence here from the beginning of the area’s offshore wind development.
about ocean winds
We have…
Experience
Experience in developing and successfully consenting large scale offshore wind projects in the Moray Firth. Moray West was consented at record pace – within just 11 months.
Clear understanding
Clear understanding of local concerns associated with the construction and operation of offshore wind farms and experience in developing suitable mitigation measures to address these.
Proven relationships
Since 2009 we have built strong, comprehensive and trust-worthy relationships with key statutory and non-statutory consenting stakeholders.
Proven Data
A comprehensive bank of data (environmental and technical) that supports the design and environmental assessment of Caledonia.
What’s next?
Caledonia submitted consent applications to Aberdeenshire Council and Marine Directorate in late 2024. This is a key milestone for one of few ScotWind projects scheduled to be in construction by 2030.
If you would like to be notified when these documents are published, please sign up to our mailing list.
Caledonia submitted consent applications to Aberdeenshire Council and Marine Directorate in late 2024. This is a key milestone for one of few ScotWind projects scheduled to be in construction by 2030.
If you would like to be notified when these documents are published, please sign up to our mailing list.
