Inch Cape Offshore Limited

Located 15 kilometres from the Angus coast, the project is on a site covering 150 square kilometres, roughly the area of the Shetland Islands. It will feature up to 72 wind turbines and a single offshore substation. The power it generates will be transported via two 85 kilometre export cables to a new substation being built on the East Lothian coast, from where it will enter the national transmission network at an existing connection point.

Inch Cape was first mooted in 2008 after the site was secured in The Crown Estate’s third leasing round auction. Since that time, the wind farm ownership has changed along with its design, which has evolved to take advantage of new technologies and innovations as the wider offshore wind industry has also developed.

Since its original consent was received in 2014, these changes have included the approval of an updated wind farm design which took the proposed number of turbines from 110 to up to 72, and an increase in generation capacity enabling adoption of the latest technology within existing consent requirements. Fewer, higher capacity turbines will allow the project to shorten the time needed for construction, reduce costs and minimise potential environmental impacts.

The project, owned by Inch Cape Offshore Limited (ICOL) – an equal joint venture between ESB and Red Rock Renewables – has started early construction work onshore at a brownfield site which was home to the former Cockenzie Power Station. The Inch Cape team is working to optimise the development and improve efficiency as it continues to progress towards full construction.