The Scottish Government has granted development consent and marine licences for Ocean Winds' Caledonia North and Caledonia South offshore wind farms in the Moray Firth, marking a major milestone for the 2 GW ScotWind project.

According to the Scottish Government, the two offshore wind farms will occupy a combined area of 429 km² and comprise up to 140 wind turbines. Together, the projects are expected to generate enough electricity each year to power around 2 million households.

The Caledonia projects are being developed by Ocean Winds, which has committed to invest £1.7 billion in Scotland across the two developments, according to its latest Supply Chain Development Statement. The projects are expected to support jobs in engineering, manufacturing, ports and maritime services, while also creating long-term operations and maintenance roles.

The Caledonia South project will use a combination of fixed-bottom and floating foundations, supporting Scotland's ambition to strengthen its position in floating offshore wind.

Before construction can proceed, Ocean Winds must implement measures to minimise environmental impacts and address effects on other marine users. The developer is also required to prepare a detailed seabird compensation plan, which must be approved by Scottish ministers before either project can move forward.

In a statement, First Minister John Swinney said the approval represents "a significant step" towards Scotland's climate and net-zero objectives, while also supporting the country's renewable energy industry and future offshore wind pipeline.

According to the Scottish Government, Caledonia North will have an expected capacity of 1 GW and include up to 77 turbines. The project will be located in the outer Moray Firth, approximately 28 km from the Wick coastline and 48 km from Banff.

Caledonia South will also have an expected capacity of 1 GW and comprise up to 78 turbines, of which no more than 39 will be floating. The project will be located around 45 km from Wick and 35 km from Banff. Across both developments, the total number of wind turbines will not exceed 140.

The applications were supported by an Environmental Impact Assessment Report and underwent public consultation in accordance with regulatory requirements. The Scottish Government noted that the Caledonia North and South projects are the second ScotWind developments to receive offshore consent from Scottish ministers.