Target capacity of
2.3 GW
Operational in the early 2030s
2.3GW is the equivalent annual consumption of 2,000,000 homes
Reducing annual emissions by 3,000,000 tonnes
ABOUT ARVEN
Located off the east coast of the Shetland Islands, Arven is expected to be operational in the early 2030s. Arven’s output has the potential to provide two million households with green power, while saving three million tonnes of carbon emissions each year.
Named Arven after the Norwegian word for heritage or legacy, Ocean Winds and Mainstream Renewable Power aim to embody the long-term potential of floating offshore wind power while also celebrating Shetland’s proud Norse heritage. Building on this connection, the Norse rune for ‘energy’ forms the project’s logo.
As one of the UK’s largest sites of its kind, Arven is a flagship project for floating wind. It offers a real opportunity to deploy floating technology on an industrial scale – generating jobs as well as wider economic and social benefits for Shetland, Scotland and the wider UK.
Realising the potential of floating offshore wind is essential to a successful and sustainable energy transition – for the UK and globally – highlighting the substantial importance of Arven in terms of technology development and future learnings.
Keep an eye on this page – the full website will launch soon to update you on Arven’s progress.
BENEFITS OF
ARVEN
Leveraging over five decades of energy sector experience
Average wind speed onshore of 16.8 mph making Shetland the windiest place in the UK
Estimated annual wind resource capacity of
2.3 GW
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
As the project is at an early stage, the number of turbines on the offshore wind farm has not been determined yet. However, it will be based on the government’s approved power capacity of 2.3 GW. The number of turbines also depends on the available generators and evolving technology.
Wind at sea blows stronger and more continuously than on land, which means greater generation capacity to meet high electricity demands. In locations were sea depths reach more than 60 metres, floating wind technology is the best solution.
Ocean Winds pioneered floating offshore wind technology, developing the world’s first semi-submersible floating wind farm offshore Portugal named WindFloat Atlantic. Ocean Winds and Mainstream Renewable Power are jointly developing a floating offshore wind farm project, named KF Wind, in South Korea (1.2 GW) where floating technology will be used. Both Ocean Winds and Mainstream Renewable Power are major shareholders in floating technology company Principle Power.
An Environmental Scoping Report will be produced, outlining project details and the intended floating technology to be used. It will address key topics for a comprehensive environmental impact assessment (EIA), including research, surveys, and analysis to assess effects on the local environment and the Shetland community, including proposed mitigations.
We are dedicated to minimising project effects and implementing mitigation measures. We have commenced engagement with key stakeholders, including the fisheries community, and initiated detailed bird survey work.
Both shareholders have a strong track record in commitment to developing regional and local infrastructure, and local industry will be at the core of Arven’s development. Additionally, around 1,500 direct and indirect jobs will be created during the construction phase, plus long-term positions during the operational phase.
In the community, Arven is already progressing plans to support a local marine-facing charity and an existing local education initiative.
Engagement to boost local supply chain opportunities is ongoing. Public consultation events will be held during the development phase, involving various stakeholders from the Shetland community. The community will be kept informed and encouraged to participate, fostering an open and transparent dialogue.
ABOUT THE DEVELOPERS
Ocean Winds (OW) is an international company dedicated to offshore wind energy and was created as a 50-50 joint venture, owned by EDP Renewables and ENGIE. Based on our belief that offshore wind energy is an essential part of the global energy transition, we develop, finance, build and operate offshore wind farm projects all around the world.
A pioneer in floating offshore wind, Ocean Winds holds more than 10 years of experience inherited by its sponsors. With its Portuguese WindFloat Atlantic project, the world’s first semisubmersible floating offshore wind farm, in operation since 2020, the company has inspired many projects worldwide.
OW in UK:
Ocean Winds’ (OW) is the second largest developer in Scotland and, as such, the UK is one of its key markets.
Over the past 15 years, OW has been dedicated to creating a net-zero and secure energy solution in the Moray Firth area, while generating socio-economic opportunities for the region. Through this close collaboration, OW has facilitated supply chain integration into this competitive sector, and demonstrated the potential, positioning the UK as a recognised global hub.
Ocean Winds is currently operating one of the UK’s largest offshore wind farm:
Moray East (950 MW) – operational since 2021
Cementing offshore wind in the Moray Firth and Shetland
Moray West (882 MW) – under construction
Caledonia (2 GW) – early development
Arven (2.3 GW) – early development
www.oceanwinds.com
Mainstream Renewable Power (“Mainstream”) is a leading pure-play renewable energy company with a presence across Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia-Pacific, and the company has a global portfolio of 20.8 GW at Q2, 2023. In May 2021, Norway-based Aker Horizons acquired a majority stake in Mainstream and, in April 2022, Japan-based Mitsui & Co., Ltd. joined Aker Horizons as a long-term strategic investor. In addition to bringing forward industrial-scale onshore wind and solar projects around the world, the company is advancing gigawatt-scale offshore wind projects in Vietnam, South Korea, Norway, Ireland, the UK, Sweden and Australia.
In the UK, Mainstream has successfully consented Hornsea One (1.2 GW), the largest operational offshore wind farm in the world today; and developed the Hornsea 2 project (1.4 GW) before selling these projects and the entire zone in 2015. In Scotland, Mainstream developed and consented the 450 MW Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm which is currently under construction.
Mainstream, through Aker Horizons’ ownership and its combination with Aker Offshore Wind, will leverage the decades of offshore energy development experience through the Aker group. Aker has been instrumental in the design and deployment of more than half of all semisubmersible floating offshore installations in the world and has over five decades of experience in Scotland, including a global subsea centre of excellence. Further to its ambition in the floating wind market, the company holds preferential rights to bankable floating foundation technology through ownership in Principle Power.
www.mainstreamrp.com
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