The Scottish Government has granted joint venture partnership between Ørsted, Simply Blue Group and Subsea7, the developers of Salamander floating offshore wind farm, a go-ahead to build and operate the 100 MW floating wind array.
Salamander offshore wind farm has been awarded Section 36 Consent and associated Marine Licences, securing all approvals for the construction and operation of the project, sited approximately 35 km off the coast of Peterhead in Scotland.
The 100 MW project is expected to play a crucial role in unlocking the full potential of Scotland’s deepwater wind resources and setting the stage for future ScotWind developments by demonstrating cutting-edge floating wind technology at a commercial scale.
Salamander is the first of the innovation (IN) projects from the INTOG leasing round to reach this stage. Combined with the recent award of onshore Planning Permission in Principle for the project’s onshore works in March 2025, the latest consent ensures that the project remains on track for deployment before the end of 2030.
Focus will now shift to working with Crown Estate Scotland to secure the Option Agreement and then preparing to secure a Contract for Difference for the project.
“Coming hot on the heels of the onshore consent, this is yet another major achievement by the project team. While we worked proactively with MD-LOT in an attempt to achieve offshore consent - including compensation plans - within the 12-month target window, award within 15 months reflects our team’s expertise, passion, commitment and seamless teamwork,” said Hugh Yendole, project director for Salamander.