Equinor’s pioneering Hywind project

The world’s first floating windfarm, off the coast of Aberdeenshire, is now supplying power to thousands of homes.

Equinor’s Hywind project celebrated its first production milestone in October 2017, with the resultant energy taken down an export cable into a sub-station at Peterhead.

AREG has backed the project since the early concept was revealed. With wind turbines nearly twice the size of Big Ben and blades the same width as a passenger plane’s wing span, the project team has overcome many technical challenges to make the concept a reality.

The £200 million project, co-financed by Abu Dhabi’s Masdar, has created 10 jobs in Peterhead, with staff in Aberdeen and Great Yarmouth providing support.

Header photo credit: Øyvind Gravås

253

Turbine total height (meters)

78

Meters below sea surface (175 from sea surface to wingtip)

154

Rotor diameter (metres)

12,000

Near total weight (tonnes)

Facts

  • Located at Buchan Deep, 25 km off Peterhead, Scotland.
  • Production startup achieved in October 2017
  • 5 turbines, 6 MW each – Installed capacity 30 MW
  • The pilot windfarm can power provide renewable energy to approximately 20,000 UK households.
  • Offshore Export cable length: 30 km
  • Onshore cable length: 2 km
  • Turbine height: 253 meters in total. 78 meters below sea surface, 175 from sea surface to wingtip. Rotor diameter: 154 metres. Total weight near 12,000 tonnes.

Get in touch

AREG is the original energy transition organisation, working on behalf of members to empower the energy supply chain and champion its expertise. Please get in touch if you have any questions or would like to find out more about membership.

Contact Us
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AREG has played an important role in the growth of Scotland’s renewable energy sector, engaging the supply chain and developing the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre. However, we are only at the very beginning of the transition that AREG was established to both lead and support so there are still opportunities for companies to get into the constantly evolving renewables supply chain. We look forward to continuing our work together as renewables builds on its place as Scotland’s main source of power, and as we seek to deliver real change in the crucial areas of heat and transport.

Scottish Renewables
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Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce has worked closely with AREG since its formation. The recent progress in the developments of offshore wind projects by Equinor and Vattenfall are as a result of the work of the group over many years. The north-east is known as the oil and gas capital of Europe. At the Chamber, we believe the region must evolve its position to being recognised as the energy capital. Whilst hydrocarbons will continue to be essential in driving our economy for years to come, the generation of renewable resources will play an increasingly important role in providing cost-effective power, innovative development and economic growth.

Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce
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The enthusiasm and dedication of the early group that would become AREG was fundamental in us choosing to launch All-Energy in Aberdeen. The first tiny show was held in 2001, and AREG’s Chairman at the time, Jeremy Cresswell, played such an active role that I often describe him in terms such as All-Energy’s ‘midwife’. All-Energy is now the UK’s largest renewable and low carbon energy exhibition and conference in terms of number of attendees, space booked, and number of exhibiting companies. As AREG became firmly established, their presence and support for the event grew spectacularly over the years. We thank them most sincerely for their invaluable input.

All-Energy
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Vattenfall has forged a strong working relationship with AREG through the development of the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre. AREG has worked tirelessly on behalf of the North East and it can take enormous credit for the growth of sustainable energy in the region and the path it has cleared for the region to capture further investment.

Vattenfall
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Aberdeen City and Shire is emerging as a key location for renewables by successfully transferring its world-class oil and gas expertise into the sector and AREG has done much to advance this through a broad range of initiatives. It has acted as a catalyst in driving further investment in the local economy by engaging with companies, Government, public bodies and existing projects and we have been pleased to support their efforts. Scottish Enterprise will continue to engage with AREG as we increase Scotland’s use of renewable energy.

Scottish Enterprise