Project overview

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Green Volt windfarm

PIONEERING A
RENEWABLE FUTURE

With environmental surveys starting in 2020, the Green Volt project reached a significant milestone in April 2024, receiving both onshore and offshore consent.

Having received the necessary planning approvals and in September 2024 being awarded a Contracts for Difference (CfD) by UK Government, the project remains on track to become the world’s largest commercial-scale floating offshore windfarm.

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Saving around 1 million tonnes of CO₂ each year
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£2.5 billion Gross Value Added

*with over £1.3 billion GVA to UK economy alone

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Over 2,800 direct jobs during construction

(and 100 direct jobs during the operational lifetime)

Developed under Crown Estate Scotland’s Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) leasing round, Green Volt has already achieved the following:

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Site exclusivity signed

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Full onshore and offshore consent granted

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Catalysing a Scottish and UK supply chain for floating offshore wind

Targeting first power in 2029, Green Volt will significantly contribute towards:

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Local and national job creation

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Scotland’s 2045 net zero target

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Reducing Scotland’s offshore emissions by 50% – a key North Sea Transition Deal goal

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The UK’s target of 43 to 50GW of offshore wind by 2030

Pre-2022

  • 2019 – Flotation Energy identified an area within the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) where there were oil and gas platforms positioned with long field lives and high electrical loads. This area was deemed an optimal starting point to help make a significant contribution to the North Sea Transition Deal – by replacing large scale, inefficient gas-fired power generation with renewable electricity from offshore wind.
  • 2020 – Flotation Energy begins environmental surveys on a redundant oil and gas field in the area, which is in the process of being decommissioned. The brownfield site is confirmed as an opportunity to create a floating windfarm, with 90-100m water depths & high-quality wind resource.
  • 2021 – Flotation Energy works with regulators to understand the potential for project “Green Volt” and completes and submits an Environmental Scoping report to Marine Scotland, reaching the first major milestone in the Marine Consent process. Crown Estate Scotland announces a new leasing round for Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas Decarbonisation (INTOG).
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2022

  • In November 2022, Flotation Energy and Vårgrønn submitted a leasing application under the Crown Estate Scotland’s INTOG Leasing Round, for two projects, Green Volt and Cenos.
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2023

  • In January 2023, the Offshore consent application was submitted to the Scottish Government Marine Directorate.
  • In March 2023 Flotation Energy and Vårgrønn were awarded exclusivity to develop up to 1.9 GW of floating offshore wind in Scotland under the INTOG leasing round for their Green Volt and Cenos projects.
  • In August 2023 the Onshore planning application was submitted to Aberdeenshire Council.
A single floating offshore wind turbine with a yellow base is positioned in the sea under a cloudy sky.

2024

  • Town and Country Planning Consent for onshore transmission assets attained.
  • Marine Licence and Section 36 Consent for generation and transmission assets attained.
  • Heads of Terms with Oil and Gas signed for Option Agreement.
  • Crown Estate Scotland enter into an Option Agreement with Flotation Energy and Vårgrønn for the Green Volt INTOG project.
  • In September 2024, Green Volt secured a Contract for Difference for 400 MW from the UK Government as part of the sixth allocation round (AR6).
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2025-2028

  • As the construction phase begins, contracts will be signed with the offshore wind supply chain to deliver a range of manufacturing and engineering activities.
  • This phase will conclude with serial manufacture and assembly of floating wind turbine packages that insofar as feasibly possible,  maximise use of UK infrastructure along with supply-chain capabilities.
An offshore wind turbine stands near oil platforms and several boats on the water, with a coastline and hills visible in the background.

2029

  • A commissioning program to install the floating wind turbines and associated transmission facilities will be executed over the course of the year to deliver Project Green Volt. Subsequently oil and gas assets will be able to access renewable electricity, replacing power generated by offshore gas fired power generation, in addition to exporting surplus electricity to the UK grid. Taken together, the project mitigates emissions equivalent around 1 million tonnes of CO2 each year.
Two offshore wind turbines stand in the sea, mounted on yellow floating platforms under a partly cloudy sky.