Vast Aberdeenshire wind farm opens up £1 billion supply chain opportunities
“Talk of the shift to renewables must be converted into action, delivering projects, creating jobs for local communities, and realising our national net zero ambitions” – Ian Taylor, project director
An initiative has been launched in a bid to unlock a £1 billion opportunity for smaller oil and gas supply chain businesses to diversify into offshore renewables.
Bowdun, a large-scale wind farm planned off the coast of Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire, said its “supply chain pathways programme” had 60 firms involved to date. The scheme aims to break down barriers for Scottish companies, including oil and gas specialists, entering the offshore wind industry, which is often dominated by major “Tier 1” contractors with established supply chains.
Bowdun will use its partner DEME Offshore, which is a Tier 1 contractor with experience installing 2,500 offshore wind turbines globally, to pre-qualify local firms as suppliers. These companies will then be able to compete for work not only on Bowdun, but also on other DEME Offshore projects in the UK and beyond.
Project developers said the programme would bring suppliers into the process “years earlier than usual”, helping them prepare investment cases, build capability and, ultimately, win work.
The official launch of the programme was marked in Aberdeen’s Ardoe House Hotel this week, with an address from Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, highlighting the opportunities for industry transition.
Ian Taylor, project director for the Bowdun Offshore Wind Farm, said: “Talk of the shift to renewables must be converted into action, delivering projects, creating jobs for local communities, and realising our national net zero ambitions.
“Bowdun aims to be a bridge between Scotland’s abundant offshore wind resource and its world-class oil and gas engineering capability. Working with DEME Offshore, this programme will help deliver value through Bowdun while supporting the supply chain to seize international opportunities.”
One-gigawatt Bowdun is being developed by Thistle Wind Partners - a consortium of renewables developers Qair and Aspiravi alongside DEME Group. Once operational, the wind farm - located some 27 miles off Stonehaven - should power more than one million homes.
Bowdun supply chain manager Gavin MacKay said: “Linking local firms with a major international contractor at an early stage will allow companies to bid for work with confidence, and overcome traditional barriers to entry.
“Many firms already have the skills to deliver offshore wind projects but haven’t yet secured that crucial first contract. The supply chain pathways programme is about giving them that first step and grow into long-term players in ScotWind and beyond.”
Forbes said: “Offshore wind provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to grow Scotland’s economy and support thousands of high-quality jobs, which is why the Scottish Government has committed up to £500 million over five years to grow our country’s supply chain.
“Developers have committed to invest an average of £1.5bn per project across the 20 ScotWind projects, and we expect to see that honoured.
“The supply chain pathways programme is an example of the public and private sectors working together to grow our supply chain companies and help them win contracts at home and abroad. This proactive approach keeps Scotland at the forefront of global offshore wind development,” she added.
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