It’s been the subject of blast and counter-blast for months. The European offshore wind deployment centre (EOWDC) has been on the table since August, 2011. It’s a plan to build an eleven turbine off-shore wind farm off the Aberdeenshire coast, producing enough electricity to power a medium-size town. Today, Scottish ministers gave it the go-ahead, a significant move because they’ve ignored repeated threats from the billionaire, Donald Trump.
The American developer attacked the plans on the grounds that the turbines would ruin the view from his new £750m golf resort at Menie. He even threatened not to build a large hotel there if it went ahead. Indeed, he is still keeping up his opposition, insisting that his company would “put our future plans in Aberdeen on hold, as will many others, until this ridiculous proposal is defeated.”
Mr Trump described today’s news as “a purely political decision,” adding that he would bring “a lawsuit within the allocated period of time to stop what will definitely be the destruction of Aberdeen and Scotland itself. We will spend whatever monies are necessary to see to it that these huge and unsightly industrial wind turbines are never constructed.”
Donald Trump Picture: Gage Skidmore
He’s turned his particular ire at his former friend and sometime ally, the First Minister, Alex Salmond, whom he now describes as “a man whose obsession with obsolete wind technology will destroy the magnificence and beauty of Scotland. Likewise, tourism, Scotland’s biggest industry, will be ruined. We will spend whatever monies are necessary to see to it that these huge and unsightly industrial wind turbines are never constructed.
“All over the world they are being abandoned, but in Scotland they are being built. We will put our future plans in Aberdeen on hold, as will many others, until this ridiculous proposal is defeated. Likewise, we will be bringing a lawsuit within the allocated period of time to stop what will definitely be the destruction of Aberdeen and Scotland itself.”
Permission to go ahead with the project was given by Fergus Ewing, the Scottish energy minister. He insists however that the £230m project was designed to test and evaluate new offshore wind power designs. The Scottish Government and indeed UK ministers believe it’s important in developing new technologies which could be crucial to helping the UK exploit the offshore wind industry, estimated to be worth £100bn.
“Offshore renewables represent a huge opportunity for Scotland,” said Mr Ewing, “an opportunity to build up new industries and to deliver on our ambitious renewable energy and carbon reduction targets. The proposed European offshore wind deployment centre will give the industry the ability to test and demonstrate new technologies in order to accelerate its growth. [It] secures Aberdeen’s place as the energy capital of Europe.”
The public argument between Trump and the Scottish Government has led to a state of some confusion in Aberdeen. For example, a number of individuals and institutions who supported Trump’s resort are also directly involved in the EOWDC project, a joint venture by utility company Vattenfall, engineering firm Technip and Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group. They include the North Sea engineering magnate Sir Ian Wood, Robert Gordon University and Aberdeenshire council. All of them are convinced that off-shore wind power could eventually be a viable alternative to the North East when the oil and gas run out.
This was evident in the statement issued by EODWC. Its spokesman, Iain Todd, pointed out that the Scottish government’s decision was “extremely positive news for both Scotland and the UK’s offshore wind industry as it helps position Scotland, the UK and Europe at the global vanguard of the sector. The decision also confirms Aberdeen city and shire’s status as a world-class energy hub, bringing with it significant economic benefits which will be pivotal to ensuring the region’s long-term prosperity.”
Bob Collier, chief executive of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, added that the North East was “already established as a global hub for the oil and gas industry. The development of the EOWDC will enable the region to extend its reach with regard to offshore wind, further enhancing our renewable energy expertise and drawing upon our strong engineering and technology skills base. This is an important development for the region.”
The decision’s been welcomed by environmental groups. Dr Sam Gardner, senior climate change policy officer at WWF Scotland, said that hiving the go-ahead was “the right decision, demonstrating that no amount of bluster from US billionaires such as Donald Trump will hold Scotland back from becoming a cleaner, greener, job-creating nation.” His view was shared by Richard Dixon, of Friends of the Earth Scotland, who added: “Offshore wind will be a huge part of our energy future and this scheme is a big step forward. Well done to the Scottish government for standing up to Donald Trump’s threats and bluster.”