Beatrice offshore wind farm
Moray Firth, North Sea, off the coast of Caithness, Scotland, UK · 2016–2019 (fully operational 2019) · £2.6 billion
The judgement call
Account-gated at launchAt the time of completion, it was Scotland's largest offshore wind farm and the world's fourth largest, demonstrating significant scale in a challenging environment. - The project provided substantial community benefits, including a £34 million fund for local projects.
Key engineering challenges
Operating in deep waters (up to 56 meters) for fixed-bottom turbines, requiring robust foundation designs. - Managing complex metocean conditions (wind speeds, wave heights, current velocities) in the North Sea. - Connecting the wind farm to the onshore grid via subsea cables and landfall infrastructure.
Project facts
- Client / owner
- SSE Renewables (40%), Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (35%), Red Rock Power Limited (25%)
- Lead contractor
- Seaway 7
- Lead designers
- N/A
- Project type
- new build
- Scale
- 588 MW capacity; 84 Siemens Gamesa 7 MW turbines
- Disciplines
- civil; structural; mechanical; electrical; marine; geotechnical
- Standards & frameworks
- N/A
Sources: Beatrice Offshore Windfarm: https://www.beatricewind.com/ - SSE Renewables: https://www.sserenewables.com/offshore-wind/operational-wind-farms/beatrice/ - Tethys - Pacific Northwest National Laboratory: https://tethys.pnnl.gov/wind-project-sites/beatrice-wind - MUFG EMEA: https://www.mufgemea.com/case-studies/project-beatrice/