UK’s Ardersier Port is set to be transformed into Europe’s first fully circular energy transition facility where old oil rigs will be recycled to make foundations for floating offshore wind farms .
In the 1970s Ardersier – a vast and currently unused port 14 miles east of Inverness – was one of the largest oil rig fabrication yards in the world, employing up to 4500 workers.
At over 400 acres (162ha) and with more than a kilometre of quayside, Ardersier is the largest brownfield port in the UK.
According to BW Ideol , work is about to begin on a £20 million, nine-month ‘capital dredge’ – removing 2.5 million cubic metres of sand – which will open up the massive port once more.
Over the next five years the port’s owners will deliver:
This will create the largest floating wind foundation fabrication, manufacturing and assembly facility in the UK – in an offshore wind market predicted to deliver 29,000 jobs and £43.6 billion to the UK economy by 2050.