About 30 miles off the coast of Norfolk, Vattenfall is preparing to build one of the world’s biggest offshore wind farms. The Swedish state power group already owns a series of them in Britain, but its twin Norfolk Vanguard and Norfolk Boreas projects are elevating the company’s profile to a new level — and not for all the right reasons. Although the hundreds of turbines in the multibillion-pound development could deliver more than a tenth of the new offshore wind capacity that the government wants this decade, Norfolk residents are furious. A proposed cabling route will scythe nearly 40 miles through the county, one of a series that will criss-cross East Anglia to connect planned offshore wind farms to the national grid. Locals have crowdfunded and won permission for a judicial review against the planning consent for Norfolk Vanguard.
Times 28th Nov 2020 read more »
Accusations of untruthfulness and inaccuracy have been made against the Scottish Government over allegations a lack of financial support from BiFab’s Canadian owner is to blame for the company’s problems. Last month a £2 billion deal collapsed for Burntisland Fabrications (BiFab) to manufacture eight wind turbine jackets at its yards in Methil, Fife, as part of the Neart Na Gaoithe (NnG) project. The UK and Scottish Governments have said they have no legal route to provide further financial support to the company, which was acquired by Canada-based JV Driver in April 2018 after the Scottish Government rescued BiFab in 2017.
Herald 27th Nov 2020 read more »