Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Offshore wind trio back Highland renewables skills hub 

Wind turbine at sea
Trio have thrown their weight behind PowerHouse. Image: Renantis, BlueFloat Energy and Ørsted.

Offshore wind developers have put their backing behind the development of a skills hub following the announcement of a green freeport in the Highlands.

Renantis, BlueFloat Energy and Orsted are backing a renewable energy skills and innovation hub for the sector, although but questions remain as to the details.

The three companies have become the first developers to join the board of the PowerHouse, which was established last year by Opportunity Cromarty Firth (OCF), winners of the bid for the green freeport.

As yet there is no timeline for the PowerHouse construction, nor how many people will be put through renewables training, or indeed if any financial aid is involved from the energy trio.

OCF is confining itself to noting the Easter Ross facility includes an applied research centre “dedicated to developing floating offshore wind and green hydrogen technologies”.

Port of Nigg with wind turbines
Renewable energy formed a key plank of OCF bid. Global Energy Group/New Wave Images UK.

OCF said the new national training centre will be established in the region ahead of the expected offshore renewables employment boom set to be released following the ScotWind leasing round and pump primed by investment attracted to the freeport.

OCF secured a share of the £52 million green freeport government funding, which it has said will be key to attracting at least £2.5 billion of new private sector investment, creating 25,000 jobs and ensuring local content targets for offshore windfarm developments are met, rather than the work going abroad.

However at least one Highlands business recently questioned the extent of consultation during the winning green freeport bid process.

Highland weaving mill Prickly Thistle founder Clare Campbell has raised questions about where the thousands of jobs cited in the bid will come from and to what extent environmental concerns were addressed.

Ms Campbell said: “It is one thing to say you are going to create thousands of jobs, but what, when, how many years?

“You can’t greenwash it with a headline, show me how it will be done.”

Prickly Thistle founder Clare Campbell in front of a loom.
“You can’t greenwash it with a headline.” Prickly Thistle founder Clare Campbell Image: Jasper Image.

The winning bid for Inverness and the Cromarty Firth, submitted by OCF in June, allows for a package of tax and customs allowances, as well as investment incentives for areas around airports, seaports and rail terminals.

Offshore wind sector needs skilled workforce

Richard Dibley, speaking on behalf of the Renantis, BlueFloat Energy and Orsted consortium, said skills would be “vital” to the sector as investment takes place.

He said: “We believe Scotland can successfully transition its oil and gas expertise into the floating offshore wind sector.

“However, it is vital as the offshore wind sector rapidly develops in Scotland and the UK, that the industry has the skilled workforce it will need.

“That expertise already exists in the north of Scotland in fabrication and manufacturing facilities as well as its technological capabilities, maximising the opportunity to create a pipeline of quality jobs.

“Plans to establish a national training and skills centre in the Highlands, which will be at the heart of those developments, are a very positive further step to ensuring that Scotland becomes a global leader in floating offshore wind expertise.”

Bob Buskie.
Bob Buskie. Image: DCT Media.

The three developers are among 40 organisations from across the supply chain backing the PowerHouse, along with a number of academic partners and other private training providers.

Speaking on behalf of OCF, Port of Cromarty Firth chief executive Bob Buskie said: “This facility will ensure local people and those attracted to the area by the opportunities on the horizon here have the skills they and the industry need.

“Along with the PowerHouse’s commitment to research and development we have the chance here to play a key role in helping Scotland and the UK to take a global leadership position in the offshore floating wind and green hydrogen sectors.”

Conversation