Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm has signed an agreement with Vestas to buy 72 new wind turbines.

They will become the first UK company to install the manufacturer’s state-of-the-art generators, after Vestas received a type certificate at the end of last year.

Vestas first installed the prototype at the Østerild National Test Centre for large wind turbines in Western Jutland, Denmark, in December 2022. In August 2023, the unit set a world record for the most power output by a single wind turbine in 24 hours, producing 363 megawatt-hours.

Each turbine has 115 metre blades, a rotor diameter of 236 metres and is powered by 15MW.

Inch Cape’s wind farm, located in the North Sea, 15KM from the Angus coast, will connect to the national grid at the site of the former coal-fired power station in Cockenzie, East Lothian.

Meanwhile, construction of an onshore substation and offshore platform necessary for Vestas’ turbines is already underway at the Smulders yard in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear.

Turbine installation is scheduled for 2026 using one of Cadeler’s newbuild M-class wind turbine installation vessels.

President of Vestas Northern & Central Europe, Nils de Baar, said: “We are very pleased to have signed this condition agreement for a pivotal project for Scotland’s offshore wind industry, and our team is genuinely excited to contribute to this milestone.

“Inch Cape will have a significant impact on the UK’s sustainable energy future, and we are proud to stand at the forefront of this transition,” he added.

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