By Mark McDonald, Stakeholder Lead:
I recently had the privilege of representing Flotation Energy and Green Volt during His Majesty the King’s visit to Peterhead Port, as part of a day recognising the North East of Scotland’s important role in the energy transition.
It was a fantastic opportunity to talk about what is happening across the region and, importantly, to highlight the role Flotation Energy, Green Volt and the Peterhead Energy Transition Forum have played in helping advance the UK’s floating offshore wind industry.
When the King reached our group, I decided to break slightly from the expected introductions and simply asked him how his day was going. The question surprised the King for a moment, with the interaction breaking the ice and making the conversation feel more natural and relaxed.
His Majesty was clearly interested in floating offshore wind and asked how the technology worked. Faced with the challenge of explaining floating wind to the King in just a few seconds, I described a floating wind turbine as “a massive piece of Meccano”, with large components assembled to create the floating structure that supports the turbine. The King immediately picked up on the concept and understood how the structures are anchored to the seabed, which led to a really engaging conversation about the technology and its potential.
What struck me most was how interested, knowledgeable and inquisitive the King was throughout the visit. He showed a genuine curiosity about the conversations taking place and the role the North East can play in the future of offshore energy, before joining the unveiling of a plaque marking the occasion at Peterhead Port.
It was a memorable experience personally, but also a great opportunity to put Flotation Energy and Green Volt directly into the conversation about the future of the North East. We spoke about the opportunity floating offshore wind presents for the region and the importance of projects such as Green Volt in helping establish the industry at commercial scale.
The North East has the people, infrastructure, supply chain and offshore energy experience needed to play a leading role in the next generation of offshore energy, and it was a real privilege to represent Flotation Energy on such a significant day for Peterhead.
And if nothing else, I can now say I explained floating offshore wind to The King using Meccano.
