EDF Renewables has announced that its Neart na Gaoithe (NnG) wind farm offshore Scotland has generated power for the first time.
Located 15.5km off the coast of Fife, Scotland, the NnG project is currently still under construction. Once completed, the wind farm will be made up of 54 wind turbines with a combined capacity of 450MW.
According to EDF, which co-owns the farm alongside utility ESB, the project is expected to be completed and fully commissioned by summer 2025.
NnG Project Director, Matthias Haag, said: “This is great for the project and is a positive step in achieving the country’s net zero targets. We have worked closely with the local communities and we thank them for their patience as we’ve progressed towards this milestone. This is the beginning of a new chapter in the life story of NnG as we work to completion.”
Ryanne Burges, director of offshore and Ireland for EDF Renewables, commented: “We are delighted to celebrate this significant milestone for NnG and over the coming months we look forward to even more clean electricity being sent to the grid. NnG is a pivotal project in the EDF Renewables UK and Ireland portfolio as we accelerate towards a net zero future where clean energy powers our lives.”
EDF’s ambitions
EDF Renewables has been making significant moves in its bid to be a major player in the UK energy sector.
In May of this year, the company announced that it had begun construction on a major onshore wind project, also located in Scotland. The Stranoch wind farm, a 102MW development in Dumfries and Galloway, is expected to come online in late 2026. A power purchase agreement (PPA) has been agreed for the farm, with supermarket chain Tesco agreeing to purchase enough power to run 80 average sized supermarkets per year, while defence contractor BAE systems has also entered into a PPA with EDF Renewables and will use the site to power around 40% of its current UK energy demand.
Meanwhile, EDF recently entered into an exclusive structured trading agreement with Utilita, allowing Utilita’s over 800,000 customers to gain access to EDF’s range of low-carbon energy products. EDF also recently agreed to a three-year supply agreement with hospitality chain Whitbread PLC, which owns and operates the well-known hotel chain Premier Inn.
