ESB has officially rebranded its 500MW floating wind project off the coast of Shetland as the “Stoura Wind Farm,” replacing the previous name, “Sealtainn.” This change comes as a result of a competition organized among primary school children in the Shetland Islands to select a new moniker for the project.
The term “Stoura” in Shetland dialect holds significance, as it can be interpreted to mean windy or describe a wide open space. The name is associated with various local landmarks, including “Stoura Stack,” a prominent sea stack located in the Out Skerries islands, which happen to be the closest part of Shetland to the proposed wind farm site.
The naming competition engaged all primary school children across the Shetland Islands, running from September 19th to October 8th. Entries were assessed by a panel of four local judges, with linguistic validation from an expert to confirm that the winning name adheres to the Shetland Dialect.
The young Shetlanders who participated in the competition demonstrated remarkable creativity, making the task of selecting an overall winner quite challenging. The grand prize, which amounted to £1,250, will be generously shared by the victor, a student at Bells Brae Primary School in Lerwick, with their classmates and a local charity. ESB, in a show of support for this philanthropic gesture, has decided to match the donation.
Cian Desmond, Project Director for Stoura Wind Farm, expressed his delight at the new name, “We were blown away by the quality of entries from the young Shetlanders. This made the task of selecting an overall winner very difficult. In the end, we are delighted with the name Stoura, which has strong links to the local landscape, Shetland Dialect, and the windy, exposed nature of the site.”
The Shetland Dialect is characterized by its blend of Nordic and Scottish influences, representing an essential component of Shetland's unique heritage and culture. Being primarily a spoken language, the interpretation and spelling of words can exhibit variations across the islands, adding to the linguistic diversity and richness of the region.
