Thistle Wind Partners (TWP) has submitted an offshore consent application to the Scottish government for the proposed 1-gigawatt Ayre floating wind farm off the east coast of Orkney, according to filings with Marine Scotland.
The project would include up to 67 turbines, two offshore substations, three interconnector cables and four export cables. Power from the site is planned to be transmitted to SSEN’s proposed Banniskirk Hub substation near Spittal in Caithness. TWP submitted plans for the grid connection and onshore infrastructure to the Highland Council in August.
The Ayre development, part of the ScotWind leasing round, is scheduled to come online in 2033 following a three-year construction phase.
TWP has also lodged an onshore permit application with Aberdeenshire Council for its 1GW fixed-bottom Bowdun wind project, located 44km east of Stonehaven.
A spokesperson for the developer said the filing marks an important step in progressing its Scottish offshore wind portfolio. “This application represents a key milestone as we move forward with the consent process for Ayre,” the spokesperson said, adding that the company remains focused on “advancing both floating and fixed-bottom technologies as part of Scotland’s long-term renewable energy ambitions.”
