Offshore staff

INVERNESS, UK – Global Energy Group (GEG) and offshore wind tower construction specialist Haizea Wind Group have agreed to build a new offshore wind tubular rolling facility at the Port of Nigg, northeast Scotland.

Nigg Offshore Wind (NOW) will house a 38,000-sq m (409,028-sq ft) factory, capable of rolling steel plate for towers weighing over 1,000 metric tons (1,102 tons) and other large structures for the UK and international offshore fixed and floating wind industry. These include transition pieces, suction buckets, and tubular components.

SSE Renewables and Sequoia Economic Infrastructure Income Fund will provide financial backing for the £110-million ($146-million) project, with further support anticipated from the Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the UK government.

According to GEG, the facility, which will be capable of producing up to 135 towers per year, will feature robotics and welding inspection technology originally developed for the offshore oil and gas industry.

Regional staff historically employed by the oil and gas sector will be offered re-training at the Nigg Skills Academy in order operate the machinery that rolls the giant structures.

The UK government is aiming for 40 GW of installed offshore capacity by 2030, GEG said, but will need more than 3,000 towers to reach this target. At present, the company added, the UK does not have a factory capable of producing towers to the specifications required for future projects by fixed and floating wind developers.

12/06/2021