04/20/2022

ScotWind: RPS chosen by bp and EnBW to complete environmental assessment and consenting support

RPS has been selected to complete the Environmental Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA) for the development of the Morven Offshore Wind Farm - a fixed offshore wind farm to be located off the east coast of Scotland. The project has a potential generating capacity of 2.9GW (sufficient to power the equivalent of more than 3 million homes).

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Nicola Simpson, Technical Director, Offshore Wind, said, “We are delighted to support Morven Offshore Wind Limited on this offshore wind farm project, an exciting step in the bp and EnBW renewables strategy for offshore wind, and in the further development of the Scottish offshore wind industry.”

We have a 20-year history delivering renewables projects in the United Kingdom, including leading offshore consenting and licence activities for Scotland’s Berwick Bank Wind Farm. Delivering the Morven project will continue RPS’ support to bp and EnBW, we are currently supporting them as their ESIA consultant for their lease areas in the Irish sea, the Morgan and Mona wind farm projects – their first foray into the UK offshore wind market.

The competitive ScotWind offshore wind leasing process was the first in Scotland in over a decade. Of 74 applications, 17 projects were selected, for up to 25 GW, which will provide for the expanding electrification of the Scottish economy as we move to net zero. bp also plans to make Aberdeen its global operations and maintenance centre of excellence for offshore wind, which is expected to create up to 120 new jobs and contribute up to £40 million to the economy per year.

The RPS team are based in Edinburgh and Aberdeen and offer some of the most up-to-date offshore wind consenting experience in Scotland. We will partner with Aberdeen-based consultants Wood to facilitate the onshore aspects of the Morven project. In addition, we have selected specialist Scottish subcontractors Anatec (Shipping & Navigation) and BiGGAR Economic (Socio-Economic), enabling us to bring a strong contribution to the Scottish supply chain for this project.