Renewable energy specialists SgurrEnergy and environmental engineering consultants Metoc plc are to carry out a full review of the proposed Ormonde offshore wind farm, which forms part of the world’s first offshore gas-wind hybrid energy generation project.
The two companies have been appointed by a consortium of lenders to the project, which involves construction of a wind farm and gas-fired power plant offshore off the coast of Cumbria, north-west England. Financial close for the project is expected in May this year.
SgurrEnergy and Metoc will provide due diligence on the £300 million development for Dexia, Bank of Scotland, Unicredit and Société Générale. The work will include a full environmental and technical review of the wind farm covering key project agreements and contracts, a capex and opex review, design, installation and construction, a turbine technology review and environmental and permitting issues.
The innovative Ormonde project was given the go-ahead by the UK government in February 2007. The project will be capable of generating up to 200 MW from 30 wind turbines and two offshore platforms located 10 km from Walney Island in the Irish Sea.
The scheme will generate electricity from the wind turbines, exporting it to shore via subsea cable. During calm periods, energy will be generated by gas turbines on two offshore generator platforms, which will use natural gas from two small gas fields, Ormonde North and Ormonde South.
Construction of the project is expected to start in late 2008 and be completed in late 2010.
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