π Project Overview
Beatrice is a landmark offshore wind farm in the Outer Moray Firth β the first commercial project to use jacket foundations and one of the first in Scotland's deep waters. The site was chosen partly because of its proximity to the decommissioned Beatrice Alpha oil platform, which provided useful offshore infrastructure. Its 84 Siemens 7 MW turbines stand in depths up to 55 metres β well beyond the typical monopile range β making it a technical proving ground for the transition to deeper water. The project was developed using a Contract for Difference from the second CfD round, which gave revenue certainty for the unusual jacket-foundation approach.
Site Schematic
Schematic diagram β not to scale. Illustrative layout based on project specifications.
β‘ Key Facts
π§ Technical Specifications
| Capacity (MW) | 588 MW |
| No. of turbines/units | 84 |
| Turbine / unit model | Siemens SWT-7.0-154 |
| Unit capacity | 7 MW each |
| Rotor diameter | 154 m |
| Hub height | 91 m |
| Tip height | 168 m (approx) |
| Foundation type | Jacket (4-pile) β first commercial UK offshore wind jacket foundations |
| Water depth | 37β55 m |
| Distance from shore | 13 km |
| Site area | 131 kmΒ² |
| Annual output | 2,300 GWh/year |
| Homes powered | 450,000 homes |
π Grid Connection & Infrastructure
| Grid connection point | Blackhillock substation, Moray, via 220 kV export cable |
| Voltage | 220 kV |
| Export cable | 13 km subsea + 30 km onshore |
| CfD held | No (merchant / PPA) |
π’ Development & Ownership
| Developer | SSE Renewables / Equinor / Red Rock Renewables |
| Owner / operator | SSE (40%), Equinor (40%), Red Rock (20%) |
| Year consented | 2014 |
| Construction started | 2017 |
| Commissioned / target | 2019 |
| Capex estimate | ~Β£2.6 billion total project cost |
| Location | Outer Moray Firth, 13 km from the Caithness coast at Dunbeath |
| Region | Moray Firth, Scotland |
| Coordinates | 58.1Β°N, 2.9Β°W |
π Project Timeline
πΏ Environmental & Planning
Environmental Impact Assessment covered seabird surveys, marine mammal monitoring and benthic surveys in the Moray Firth. The project operates a Bird and Bat Monitoring Programme.