Full Timeline of events surrounding ETZ

The time course of the Zone’s development makes interesting reading . Aberdeen Economic Policy Panel Report 5th November 2019 recommends energy transition must be more rapid and extensive than business communities have realised because of climate change and the need for Aberdeen to diversify its economy. But at the same time stressing this must be done in a sustainable (ie green) and inclusive way and that Aberdeen needs a very clear plan or how this is to be done. The ETZ as outlined in it’s Feasibility Study does not do that. 

Submssion 054 to the Pre-Main Issues report from Aberdeen Harbour Board, “Case for Growth” prepared by Barton Wilmore. No bid for any land round the site of the proposed new harbour, but recognises offshore wind had been identified as a key component in the Scottish Recovery Economic Plan 2011 National Renewables Infrastructure Plan 2010, where Aberdeen harbour had been recognised as a 1st phase manufacturing site for renewables. It noted that local people would accept development the Bay of Nigg if a large area of green space could be retained. It also realised that any road west of the harbour through St Fittick’s park would have an impact on that green space. The Board did not favour this option because of the impact on the community – mitigation would be expenditure on community projects. Recognition that landward side of harbour needs improving – mentions wetlands and tree planting being planned

August Nigg Bay Development Framework Baseline Report (NBDF) published by Barton Willmore on behalf of Aberdeen Harbour Board, Aberdeen City Council and Scottish Enterprise. Put to public consultation in October 2015  The Harbour Board had changed its mind about the need for land round the harbour as it and existing harbour users had wanted land immediately next to the new harbour and round it to be allocated for development, but the majority of businesses accepted that if severe damage to the environment could not be mitigated, then the sites at East Tullos and Altens with the improved road linkage to the new harbour, provided in the NBDF, would be good sites for harbour related activities including offshore wind .

 Detailed response of the Head of Planning and Development ACC to Scottish Ministers on the draft Aberdeen Harbour Revision Order (AHRO) which must be passed by the Scottish Government, to allow the harbour construction to start and to regulate how it is done. It approves the project but only on several conditions which include landscape mitigation in the wider area because the Expansion Project’s Environmental Statement had focussed on the immediately harbour area and ignored the adverse social and environmental effects on the wider one. The damage to the health of people living next to the new harbour from loss of green space and the major changes to the landscape ( loss of green space and of visual amenity) affecting their leisure and recreation; on the city as whole, on tourism and on a gateway to the city. Therefore it called for compensatory mitigation measures to benefit the community, including regeneration, and stipulated that the community should be involved in deciding what these should be. Another prerequisite for harbour construction which will regulates how it is done is the Marine Licence, authorised by the Scottish Government and issued by Marine Scotland .  

 Revised Bay of Nigg Development  Framework published, after 6 weeks of public consultation ( September 30 to November 11 2015 ) on the draft Framework. The revised one is the basis for Interim Planning advice. Harbour related industrial Development is located in East Tullos and Altens. 

Dispensation under the Councillors Code for Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council from the Standards Commission Scotland for elected members and substitute members who have been appointed by either local authority to be members of the City Region Deal Joint Committee, ( 6 Aberdeen Councillors ; 4 Tory/Aberdeen Labour/Independent coalition , 1 Lib Dem and 1 SNP) and the same dispensation to Councillors who have been appointed by either local authority to be directors or alternative directors of Opportunity North East (ONE) . ie Douglas Lumsden ACC, Jim Gifford Aberdeenshire. Councillors do not have to withdraw from council meetings that are discussing or voting on the City Region Deal, any of its projects or their funding or recommendations by the City Region Deal Committee. Councillors who are directors or substitute directors of ONE  do not have to withdraw from Council meeting discussing or voting on the City Region Deal its projects , their funding, or any of ONE’s projects.  

Rishi Sunak advocates freeports  in the report “The Free Ports Opportunity” published by the free market, small state, low tax Centre for Policy Studies. Did he really get the idea from Reith Still formerly of Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce 

AHRO passed by the Scottish Government on the recommendation of the Committee for Rural Economy and Connectivity following assurances from Minister for Transport and the Islands that he was satisfied with the mitigation measures for the site in the Schedule of the Order and that ACC and AHB were discussing the mitigation measures in the wider area. These were detailed in chapter 10 of the Construction and Environmental Management Document ( CEMD for the harbour and the Detailed Mitigation and Compensation Plan(DCMP) for St Fittick’s Park prepared according to the terms of an agreement between ACC and AHB under Section 69 of the Local Government ( Scotland Act) 1973. The Schedule of the AHRO allowed for measures to protect the East Tullos burn and its wetlands, the draft DCMP listed 10 improvements to St Fittick’s Park, 7 of which would be started in the first year of construction . The community’s understanding was that St Fittick’s park and the wetlands were protected from further development .  

The date of the current Local Development Plan which lasts till 2022 – The “Zone” area is zoned as green space.  

Consultation period for the Pre-Main Issues report, the main opportunity for the public and Statutory consultees to influence the content of the Main Issues Report (MIR) from which the Proposed Local Development Plan (PLDP) will be developed, by responding to it. Response from Torry Community Council (Q035) focussing on preserving the built environment and protecting the environment and open spaces , stating that any green belt development must be sustainable (thinking that no big change was on the cards as given the protection guaranteed in the BNDF) , and that atmospheric pollution should be reduced to protect public health. No bid for ETZ sites ,which could then be included in the MIR were amongst the 146 bid submitted and for which environmental impact assessments were made by the Council. Aberdeen Harbour board will attempt to change the Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Strategic Development Plan (SDP) , which is higher in the planning hierarchy , by responding to it sometime between 8th October 2018 and 17th December 2018. 

Consultation period for the MIR for the Proposed Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Strategic Development Plan, which sets the ground rules for the LDP, published (All the other documents are accessed by this link) . Nothing about land round the harbour in the report and no response from the Harbour Board.  

 Kevin Stewart is not happy with the idea and asks for clarification of the plan. Ross Thompson, still MP, has been lobbying Lyn Truss for them.

Ross Thomson criticised for indicating that the Council supported his lobbying for Freeport status. Angela Scott is not enthusiastic, though Douglas Lumsden is and has been working with Ross, Harbour board has reservations.

 Aberdeen Harbour Board is not yet convinced, saying further investigation is needed. Aberdeen South MP Brexiteer and Boris fan Ross Thomson is enthusiastic as is the Provost, Barney Crockett. Thomson has been lobbying Lyn Truss International Trade Secretary for Aberdeen to be a Freeport, but loses his seat to the SNP in December 2019. 

Application for 2nd Marine Licences for construction and for dredging, as the 1st will expire in April and September 2020, due to delays in both. 

The day before the Economic Policy Plan review 2019 is published. City urged to be bold by panel member Douglas Peedle – unique challenge, diversify – report to be discussed at the State of the Cities conference , discussion attended by civic leaders.

The proposed LDP has been prepared from the MIR and was due to be presented to the full council but was delayed till 2nd March because the council was waiting for a Scottish Government report on the proposed SDP.

 OGA Board Meeting in Aberdeen – discussing OGA’s net zero plans – Tim Eggar will address the MER meeting on 15th , with the energy transition targets for the industry before COP 26 ( due to be in November 2020).

 Tim Eggar, Chairman of the UK based Oil and Gas Authority is in Aberdeen, at the MER (Maximising Economic Recovery) steering group meeting with Cassandra like warnings to the industry to adapt to climate change pronto or die.  He enthuses about what has now become the Energy Transition Zone, and recommends that it should be part of the “transformative deal “ for the oil and gas sector included in the Conservative Party’s manifesto in the December 2019 General Election . He cited carbon capture and hydrogen. 

The ETZ - Sir Ian Wood publicly announces the ETZ, indicating it will be based on using green energy such as offshore wind, hydrogen and CCS. Almost as a last minute thought servicing , assembling and manufacturing offshore wind is mentioned and the hope that “leading brands” will come to the city, even though they are already well established elsewhere. Even so Ian Wood says:

“We’ve got the opportunity in the north-east of Scotland to help balance the economy with a new industry, and at the same time, play a really significant role in one of the world’s greatest problems right now in global warming.”

No funding in place yet, tough “leverage from the private sector and public purse” is envisaged. The potential for “thousands of jobs” has not been forgotten either. Highly speculative. The harbour is already a year late due to dredging problems and a combination of no construction during the cv pandemic and the main contractor terminating its contract with the Harbour Board by mutual consent, is now 2 years late. Tenders are out for a new contractor. There is no guarantee that licences will be granted for identified sites near Aberdeen, or that any successful developer will use Aberdeen as it’s preferred port. Bifab at Methil has already lost contracts for offshore wind development a few miles away to foreign firms. Worse will follow.

This is the first time the people of Torry have become aware of plans for their area. The Aberdeen Labour/Conservative city are enthusiastic supporters , but the LDP allocating sites for the proposed ETZ has not yet been accepted by the council and is not yet its “settled will”. 

Article in a newsletter from the Oil and Gas Technology Centre ETZ, and [SS1] sayin g what a great thing it is. Also mentioning how much investment in energy transition will have to increase and puffing up the ETZ – very much from an oil industry perspective . Cites Jenny Laing saying that as a result of the Economic Policy Plan review 5thNov 2019 the Council’s City Growth and Resources Committee agreed to develop a[SS2]  place based Net Zero Transition Plan and a prioritised Strategic Structure Plan. The potential to develop a world leading Energy Transition Zone is an exciting development opportunity development for the city and region. Looks forward to developing the business case for the Zone with among others UK gov, Scotgov and their agencies. Quotes ONE board members from Michelle Handforth, (Aberdeen Harbour Board CE)) Deidre Michie ( Oil and Gas UK CE)       

[SS1]Big meeting in Aberdeen earlier in Jan.

[SS2]It does not advocate a zone as such but recommends Aberdeen’s transition should be unique, capitalising all its assets – ie its pristine natural resources. 

 Audit Scotland Report  into City Region Deals shows that ONE dominated the formation of Aberdeen City’s deal and would be the major influence in its implementation. Not just because of its influence and that of its chairman, Sir Ian Wood , in the whole region but because it guaranteed to match Scottish Enterprise funding of certain projects to make them more attractive. 

ETZ Feasibility Study issue 2 ( the only one in the public domain) published by Barton Willmore. It has been prepared in a rush and does not include any environmental assessments. It was commissioned by Richard Sweetnam of City Growth to clarify bid 486 and the advantages Aberdeen has for development of other renewable, in addition to wind turbine manufacture, in areas outwith that designated for the ETZ. It is highly speculative 

 UK Trade and Industry Consultation period for Freeports  Aberdeen Harbour Board and Aberdeen city council  are both supportive. The Harbour Board cites manufacturing with lower taxes and relaxation of planning rules so that the harbour would have more permitted developments than it does . See below for ACC’s submission. 

Date of Statutory neighbour notification notices about an ETZ in OP 56 St Fittick’s park, which are sent out to people living nearby . Alerts people in Torry to the ETZ. 

Also the date when ScotWind Leasing is open for applications. To encourage related work to come to Scotland applicants have to submit a Supply Chain Development Statement identifying what each project needs so that opportunities for and barriers to achieving this aim can be identified. However, the statements does not have to make a minimum commitment to Scottish supply chains, though there are vague references to “contractual remedies” to ensure that developers “will be motivated to commit resources and activity “ to give contracts to Scottish chains.

 £62 million Energy Transition fund , principally for the NE supporting several projects, including THE ETZ, but they have not yet been chosen . 

 ACC’s interpretation of the fund seems to overestimate Aberdeen’s supreme position as leader of Scotland’s move to net zero emissions.  

 The City’s Urgent Business Committee approves a Socio –Economic Rescue plan. One of the items includes in it is a commitment for City Growth and Resources to work with ONE to develop the business case for phase I of the ETZ, including skills training. Other parties involved are Skills Development Scotland, North East College, Lochside Academy and Torry Locality Planning.  

 Scottish Council for Trade and Industry’s response to Freeports welcomes them in principle but has serious reservations about their global risks of freeports their negative impacts, and in the Scottish case, in the context of devolved areas of UK government policy. It does not see how they would benefit Scotland’s economy.  

 The co-leaders of the Aberdeen Council lobby Michael Gove for Aberdeen’s Freeport status and to discuss UK government fiscal incentives to encourage inward investment for energy transition. . EE article about the meeting which says Council have repeatedly asked Scotgov for support for NE to move away from oil and gas. Says ETZ could be a model for transition. Set out vision for transformation to a net zero city. Lumsden cites offshore wind construction and provide world class marine infrastructure . Refers to Aberdeen’s ambition .   

 Freeport Consultation from Scottish Council for Development and Industry is lukewarm about the idea. Not just because of legitimate concerns about activities such as deregulation, tax evasion and avoidance, money laundering, but those over the economy – would they stimulate or redistribute the economy, and how would UK wide ones fit into the devolution settlement?  

 SDP approved by the Scottish Government 

 Aberdeenshire going to object to the LDP - probably – still has to be authorised at council meeting - over OP 46.  

Press reports that ONE is just starting to plan the ETZ , working with Aberdeen City Growth as outlined in the City’s Socio-economic rescue plan. Confirming that the claims for the ETZ in public statements from June 2019 onwards and in Feasibility Study were highly speculative. 

Crown Estates Scotland gives Aberdeen a more modest role in Scotland’s transition to net zero than the proponents of the ETZ in its report of the roles for different Scottish ports in the development and operation of future offshore wind following the launch of the ScotWind leasing round. Seeing Aberdeen as the hub of an Aberdeenshire mini cluster and placing any manufacturing activities in East Tullos and Altens . Just as scenario 6 of the ETZ feasibility study does, and as the unsuccessful amendment of 2ndMarch to the PLDP did.  

 Biofab loses order.

  The Scottish government has come round to supporting Freeports after all but only if they provide inclusive growth, work practices there are fair and their economic activity is a net zero one. This is the antithesis of the usually accepted model and the Scottish Greens are sceptical of potential greenwashing. 

 Meeting of the City Growth and Resources Committee . Item 10b iv Freeports - Welcomes what it describes as the Scottish Government U-turn on them, ignoring the different model envisaged from the UK free for all and instructing the City Growth officer to work with both governments, AHB and other unidentified stakeholders on feasibility study into one for Aberdeen and report back to the committee on 11th May 2021. . Item 17 – Report of the STAG2 appraisal of transport links between the South Harbour and Tullos, recommends  option 4 , the Coast Road. Lowest cost and most feasible technically, environmentally and most publicly acceptable. Taking account of needs of the ETZ, added during the middle of the consultation. The Committee accepted the reports recommendation and will ask the Chief Officer Capital to prepare a business case for it and report to the City Region Deal Committee. The continuing appraisal for the Wellington Road improvements should proceed on the basis that the route from the South Harbour to East Tullos is option 4 – the Coast road . STAG 2 appraisal of that will be reported to the Council in June 2021. 

The full report states that there are as yet no details of what the activities to be carried out in site the ETZ sites in OP 56 and 61 are. The masterplan is still being written, by the ETZ masterplanning team”  and one of the difficulties of incorporating the needs of the ETZ into the assessment is “the absence of definitive information on the exact nature of development at the proposed ETZ” (p8) . 

 Submissions to the PLDP are made available  . There are 1195 of them –they have to be searched by name of respondee or response number. Friends of St Fittick’s Park analyses them and find 199 were to OP56, OP61 or OP61+56 – strong feelings expressed and well constructed arguments. Plenty of different grounds . 4 Statutory Consultees : SEPA, Nature Scot, Historic Scotland and Scottish Forestry all consider rezoning of St Fittick’s Park is completely inappropriate   

  ScotWind leasing put on hold ( with Scottish Government approval) for review, because of high price bids in the English/Welsh Round 4 process. It used an auction in which oil majors (but not Shell)  offered much more money than established renewable firms. In contrast to the ScotWind one using lower price guidelines , which Crown Estate Scotland feared would underprice Scottish sites . Closing date will not be on 31st March 2021 after all. Which is 14 months later than originally planned.  Continuing uncertainly in the ETZ’s feasibility. … “changed market dynamics round offshore wind leasing, which could have significant implication for offshore wind development in Scotland” 

 Methil and Arnish Bifab yards bought out of administration by Infrastrata  

 Deidre Michie, the CEO of OGUK, seeks support from newly elected North East MSPs for support for the oil and gas industry on the basis of their contribution to the energy transition so far.

From Agenda documents for City Growth and Resources Committee: the business case for the ETZ is be being developed p 198 , p 206 , p 212; Aims of the Local Development Plan include public health priorities as well as economic sustainability p 200;sSee promotion of city’s parks and open spaces, including nature sites, for improved physical and mental health promotion of tourism, linked to active travel projects p209 and citizen engagement project to record city sights and sounds in city parks and open spaces , including nature sites; physical and mental health, promotion of bidoversity, mental health etc , promoting Aberdeen as a destination p 209.

.BP and EnBW announce a portal for Scottish companies or those intending to locate in Scotland to note an interest is obtaining a subcontract  in designing, constructing , servicing and operating offshore wind assets from companies who end up obtaining a licence in the forthcoming Scotwind leasing round  

Trust ports getting agitated by the delay to discussions about Greenports – England is ahead and offshore work is going to English “facilities”  

There has been a downturn in decommissioning activity, so the resulting price reduction from competition has made business the case difficult, therefore difficult to attract investment  – not looking good for the ETZ’s vaunted prospects in that area.  

Contracts awarded for turbine construction, installation and maintenance for Dogger Bank C - the world’s largest offshore wind farm . 470 jobs over 3 years in different NE England ports . Not really that impressive, a long way to go to reach the promised thousands. 

Forth Ports announces £40 million investment in improving its current facilities for offshore work and establishing new ones for manufacturing and set down, in a “greenport” . Sounds very like the ETZ proposals but it’s bigger and all one, flat site.  It’s a rival claimant for the role of “Scotland’s premier offshore energy park”.   

Q&A session following the launch of the University’s Centre for Energy Transition.Martin McCormack, Energy Transition Director of ONE, describes a Hydrogen Campus near/next to (?) the South Harbour to research and test hydrogen uses , using hydrogen piped ashore at the South Harbour, as part of the Dolphyn Project . Hyped up as usual even though the project is only at the proof of concept stage and the details not as firm as Martin said they were. We asked “how near?” 

Closing date for applications for the post of Project Co-ordinator for ETZ Ltd to assist the CEO and senior staff develop and manage the ETZ implementation plan ( the one there is nothing about in the public domain) 

 In contrast to the upbeat press release on 14th May , AHB is now warning that the green infrastructure aspect of the Aberdeen Harbour Expansion project may not be viable because of funding difficulties which the Board blames on the Covid crisis. It calls for more money from the Scottish Government because the new harbour is currently a National Project and is vying to become one of Scotland’s version of England’s Free Ports i.e. a Green Port. Ryan Houghton, Convenor of the City Growth and Infrastructure Committee, says it deserves Scotgov support. However, Scotgov does not appear to agree with him, so AHB is now appealing to the UK government. The green infrastructure includes the hydrogen feasibility studies cited on 31st May. The doubt about the ETZ’s future renders the establishment of ETZ Ltd even more mysterious.  

The PLDP schedule report  appears on the Council’s meetings website  . OP56 and 61 are issue 17; related issues are 19,20 and 38 . A summary of what happens next and the Council’s response to submissions are also published. Issue 17 covers p 299 – 335, the Council’s response starts on p 315 with a general section (p315 – 319)  setting the context of rezoning St Fittick’s Park and Doonies Farm in terms of the economic factors and their necessary (for the Council)  dominance over all other considerations, with extensive references to the City Region and the need for a PLDP to change quickly in response to changing external conditions, in particular the urgency of reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Even so, there is not the convincing evidence of firm proposals for feasible projects to achieve this aim that would justify the stance the council has taken, against a strongly worded completely opposing view from NatureScot (Issue 38). It regards protection of the East Tullos Burn , its wetlands , trees and wildflowers planting under policy NE2 (green and blue infrastructure) as crucial which advocates protecting so much of the Park that the remaining unprotected section it would not be economically feasible to develop. In spite of ignoring arguments against rezoing the Park and Doonies, the Council has not given the ETZ team and AHB the free for all over green belt and urban green space policies for ETZ activities it had asked for in its submissions to the PLDP. (Issues 19, 20 and 38) .   

 Scottish government announces it is giving £26m from the £62m NE Energy Transition Fund it established in June 2020 to the ETZ next to the South Harbour. It matches the £27m given in March 2021 by the UK government. (Will some of this money provide the funding the South Harbour is looking for???) Given the lack of detail of what’s proposed it’s hard to see where the 2500 direct jobs or the 10,000 transition-related ones predicted to materialise by 2030 will come from, or what these jobs will be, especially as along with the usual hype from Maggie McGinlay comes a caveat that there’s a lot of work to be done to “realise this ambition”.  Michael Matheson, Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport, thinks the transition enabled by the money will be a fair one for everyone. Maggie McGinlay is promising extensive consultation with the local community . 

 Green MSP Maggie Chapman’s motion “A Just Transition for Torry” debated at Holyrood. Supported by 5 other MSPs: 1 Green, two Labour and one SNP ( Aberdeen South and South Kincardineshire, Audrey Nicoll. Cross party support. The debate and transcript. The debate highlights issues of social and environmental justice in the face of the necessary and supported transition to net zero, and that the choices made for St Fittick’s Park future are an examplar for similar ones that will have to be made elsewhere.  Pointing out availability of alternative sites for activities that have been proposed for the Park. It also referred to the confusion surrounding the ETZ concept. Where is it? What activities are planned where? How far advanced are plans for these activities (including Ian Wood’s notorious “shovel ready” comment (see April 23rd ) . In addition it covered the newer, wider view of a just transition away from the earlier purely economic one to cover the social and environmental justice already mentioned – being advocated by the University’s centre for Energy Transition, Moving onto the democratic deficit which would not have occoured if the community had been involved before the Park and Doonies farm were scheduled for rezoning for development . And then to the impossibility of mitigating the damage development would do. Support of a kind for the motion from Liam Kerr who place great trust that Ironside Farrar , the consultants who will assess the sites and write the master plan that must accompany any planning application will involve the community to find a “creative and sustainable solution” and that safeguards for biodiversity are “in place” . And from Richard Lochhhead (Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work) ,  who endsores the wider view of a just transition -  achieved with the consent of those affected. He also announces that second Commission for a Just Transition has been set up, to be chaired by Jim Skea who led the first one. 

Finally it appears that Richard Lochhead accepts Maggie’s invitation to visit the Park – something Audrey Nicoll has been advocating 

 Douglas Lumsden accuses Scot gov in Parliament  of abandoning its commitment the ETZ after going into partnerhip with the Greens – to him the greens are the “tail “ wagging the dog in the “coalition of chaos”. No firm support for ETZ plans (the ones no-one knows about) . Once again the ETZ is “transformational” . Michael Mathieson , Cabinet secretary for Net Zero and Transport isn’t quite correct when he overstates scot gov support for the ETZ at £62 million, though. 

 What could be an innovative method of public consultation: the Torry People’s assembly, where the plan was for groups of people to share their thoughts and ideas on a proposal for the Park’s future from ETZ Ltd and on one for an asset transfer for the Park from which a solution to the conflict between the two would emerge. It might not be final but would open to change later. Somewhat blunted as ETZ Ltd felt unable to take part because its proposal is still not fully formed, and won’t be until the as yet to start master planning process has considered all the issues and consulted several unidentified “stakeholders” and community groups . It offered to present its plans for this engagement instead. A misunderstanding of the assembly process which would have enabled everyone involved to consider them whilst the proposal was being formed 

 Aberdeen University divests from fossil fuel investment due to student pressure, in spite of having links to the city’s Oil and Gas industry .

Scotland and England will be setting up separate kinds of Freeports, Scot gov and UK gov having failed to agree on a separate model for Scotland using reserved and devolved , to suit Scotland’s different economic needs. UK gov will set up at least one UK Freeport in Scotland, bypassing the devolution settlement, “putting a Union Flag on priority projects” , which it hopes to announce early next year. Scotgov one Greenport. The Freeport will take advantage of the wider range of reserved tax breaks than those available to Scotland’s Greenports, and hence greater incentives. Greenports will  have export promotion  areas, will pay  the a minimum wage at  Real Living Wage rates and will focus on renewable energy. Freeports won’t and will pay the Living Wage, less than the Real Living Wage. The Green party will have influenced Scot gov in standing firm for its Greenport model. 

Foreign investors may be confused. Will they be able to play off one kind of port against the other, even though that’s more expensive and inefficient? 

   ETZ Ltd appoints Shepherd and Wedderburn as its lawyers, advising on all corporate, property, construction and regulatory matters. The large firm, with 90 lawyers in its Clean Energy Group and 30 years experience in the field boasts of “the perfect blend of skills to help ETZ Ltd realise its ambitions”. This blend includes experience in advising leading windfarm developers and beating off legal challenges eg RSPB appealing Scotgov’s decision  to approve Neart nan Goaithe in the Supreme Court. Maggie McGinlay is delighted, as is Colin Robertson, partner in the firm’s property and infrastructure team. 

United Nations recognises the basic Human Right to a clean, healthy environment, giving it international recognition. The Scottish Government, which will be incorporating that right into its forthcoming Human Rights bill, welcomes this development as it will help Scots law to become aligned to international standards. 

 A consortium including TotalEnergies announces plans to develop a hydrogen hub at Flotta, Orkney, if its Scotwind bid is successful   

 TotalEnergies announces the opening of its UK Offshore Wind Energy Hub in Aberdeen , where it will direct all its UK offshore wind projects. Building on its O&G experience to enable its O&G staff to move to renewable energy, with aims to use a large proportion of Scottish firms in its supply chain.  

 The Acorn project – the Scottish CCUS Hub is not awarded UK government funding as a Phase one CCUS project, although it had been described as a “no brainer” and “shovel ready”, lobbying by Sir Ian Wood et al and in the face of huge expectations that it would be successful . A huge blow to the O&G industry and Scottish government’s net zero strategy, described as a snub by the UK government to the NE.  

 Nicola Sturgeon announces that unlimited extraction of oil and gas is not sustainable, and the Scottish Government would not longer support it at a speech to Strathclyde University Students 6 days before COP26 starts in Glasgow, thereby stepping away from previous support for the O&G industry’s continuing to do that, backing off from using maximum hydrocarbon recovery to justify CCS, but still advocating its contribution to net zero transition.  Even so, regards the decision not to award tier 1 funding to the Acorn project inexplicable. (separate article) Also announces the development of a £500 m Just Transition Fund focussing on the NE of Scotland. Deidrie Michie of OGUK refers to a just transition in purely economic terms. 

Climate change campaigners welcome the change in the Scottish Government’s attitude but stipulates that these words must be followed by action 

ETZ Ltd appears to be extending the area of the ETZ into North Sea oiland gas fields by encouraging it to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the O&G industry’s offshore operations. 

  Ocean Wind, Aker’s manifesto for a “green industrial revolution “ in Scotland . It includes construction of a manufacturing and assembly site, somewhere, for steel based foundations for floating wind turbines, using proven WindFloat technology. The project will be publicised globally among manufactures with a 3-D model developed with Strathclyde University and the National Manufacturing Institute of Scotland, and the site identified after consultation with them. The basis of the partnership’s Scotwind bid. 

Treasury expects oil and gas revenues to be higher than forecast, and has been criticised for lack of clarity over Track 2 CCUS projects 

An interesting point in an article contrasting the announcement of a large wind turbine tower manufacturing facility at Nigg with Shell’s withdrawal from the Cambo oil field - from Jake Malloy, regional RMT organiser about the continued need for oil, but not as a fuel, and doubts about the jobs at Nigg being able to replace those lost from a too rapid cut back of the O&G industry. 

Ben Houghton, Tory mayor of Teeside, which has just become a UK freeport, castigates the Scottish government green port model, saying at least 3 (unnamed) investors abandoned Scotland in favour of Teeside (to be announced in the next 6 months) because there are no9 Scottish freeports . Aberdeen+ Peterhead is one of 9 candidates for Scottish freeport status.

Cromarty is going to bid for freeport and greenport status. But do freeports generate new economic activity or just move it from somewhere else 

 Subsea Uk has renamed itself Global Underwater Hub and to transfer its oil and gas global subsea experience and knowledge into offshore wind . Sounds a lot more feasible than trying to cram wind turbine manufacture, in which supply chains have no experience, Or any other offshore wind industrial activity into 12 ha or so of St Fittick’s Park.  

A report citing difficulties in making an economic case for hydrogen in Europe . The sources of demand are not yet firmly identified, which discourages investment, whilst creation of demand relies on a source. Collaberation and working together is needed. The Acorn project isn’t mentioned anywhere 

As results day for the ScotWind leasing rounds approaches, contrasting views of the likelihood of much economic benefit from off shore wind. Cynicism from Peter Welsh ( GMB), based on past experience, (2800 jobs not 28,000)versus optimism from Paul O’Brien (DeepWind supply chain group) , on the belief that companies who have made promises won’t want to lose face by breaking them. Plus the low bid prices that makes riskier investment more feasible. 

Cynicism here too – Jeremy Creswell thinks in spite of all the many promises the majority of work will continue to go abroad. What do the promises mean? How will Crown Estates enforce them? Even so he is optimistic about EnBw developments at Cromarty and especially Ardeseir , but dismisses Aberdeen’s ambition to be the offshore wind capital of Aberdeen, let alone Scotland. In the past he’d suggested it to develop servicing turbine heads, as it did for gas turbines in the oil and gas era. He cites Wood group plc’s involvement in offshore wind, but does not mention that it’s word wide, not in Aberdeen. 

Vattenfall is upgrading the Offshore Wind deployment centre to produce hydrogen offshore and pipe it to a site on shore – as yet unidentified. 

Examination of the PLDP starts but is unlikely to be finished by the target date of 2ndAugust 2022, which appears to have been set when the earliest start date for the examination was 1st December. The review of the current LDP was finished 10 months after the plan was received by the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division of the Scottish government, and not adopted for another 4 months.  

Optimism and experience of offshore wind turbine jackets at the Bifab yards at Burntisland 

Offshore wind isn’t the only route to transition – there’s geothermal , which has been neglected till now but has worldwide opportunities 

1. The Scottish Government is prepared to provide £80m funding for the Scottish Cluster centred round the Acorn CCS project to try to persuade the UK government to it in Tier 1 funding after all. Without it it is claimed that Scotland’s decorbonisation of industry (Grangemouth and Mossmorran  in particular) and its transition to Net Zero will be in danger. There will be less blue hydrogen and oil and companies will be left with stranded assets. 

ETZ Ltd’s website goes live– a last. Eight and a half months after the company was incorporated. Phrases “New Energy” “New Opportunity” “ A region renewed” “this is the time and Aberdeen is the place” indicate what the content is like. Just as PR and newspaper articles have been for the past two years, vague , unrealistic (eg CO2storage + hydrogen production – in Aberdeen), misleading – Scale next to a photo of the toxic no go area that is the Landfill site, vastly over-optimistic with unfounded grandiose ideas about Aberdeen’s and the North East’s importance internationally and when it comes to “the community” inaccurate. The widespread opposition on environmental and health grounds from the local community, many of Aberdeen’s doctors, 3 of its MSPs, 4 statutory consultees, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and elements of the media, in Scotland and abroad, are downplayed with any consultation over planning permission being limited to the statutory .   

ScotWind leasing round results – announced. 6 licences to lead bidders and their partners  in the Eastern block : area 1 BP Alternatives 2.9 GW fixed, areas 2 SSE 2.6 GW floating, area 3 Falk renewables 1.2 G floating, area 4 Shell 2 GW floating, area 5 Vattenfal 0.798 GW floating, area 6 ( the nearest to Aberdeen) DEME 1.008 GW fixed. No details of supply chain commitments made in developers  Supply Chain Statements; they will be announced once agreements have been signed . However although there will be penalties for developers who do not honour the commitments, they are not legally obliged to do so and some commentators are uncertain that they will. 

BPThough Aberdeen is to be BPs global centre for offshore wind operations and maintenance, there will be only 120 jobs. The bid will “unlock a number of investments across the country” and BP has already signed a memorandum of understanding with Forth Ports who are creating Scotland’s largest renewables hub at Leith. SSEpromises projects to enhance community wellbeing and describes its allocation as in the Firth of Forth . Falk renewables will be working in partnership with Energy4All to give communities a financial benefit from projects. It has been given licences in two other areas further north. No promises from Shell , nor from Vattenfalland there’s no information on DEME.  

As usual Ian Wood’s overblown rhetoric about the North East as the net zero energy capital of Europe belies the complexity and uncertainty of ScotWind and the lead other countries have. Investment will flood into the ETZ where there will be“a brand new Offshore Wind Technology Centre” somewhere in it, taking advantage of proximity to the harbour and Aberdeen’s subsea engineering skills. It will “harness first mover advantage” to maximise significant floating opportunity. The 75% of the world’s sub sea capacity in the NE he refers to does explain why Aberdeen should be BP’s proposed centre for offshore wind, but maybe not why the region should be the most attractive locations for investment especially for offshore wind.  

12 of the companies in the successful ScotWind consortia are foreign owned – Spain is involved in 6 of them. Does that bode well for Scottish supply chain involvement, especially when it does not have the relevant experience? Probably not – there is a danger that opportunity will be missed as it was in the oil and gas booms and busts. 

On the other hand an article from the Global Underwater Hub, formerly Subsea UK, whilst still concerned about government support for investment,  is relying on its subsea expertise to win supply chain work and mentions the “brand new Floating Offshore Wind Technology Centre” somewhere in the ETZ. Something to do with subsea engineering in things like floating foundation systems, mooring and anchoring systems , dynamic power cables and – wait for it “high value manufacturing” aspects that will become apparent sometime in the future. Things are complicated 

A summary of the many obstacles in the way of an offshore wind supply chain boom in Scotland, including one that may affect the chain in Aberdeen: other countries have developed expertise in the “fixed bottom “ techniques which would be use to construct turbines in the DEME fixed wind site, which is the one nearest to the city. 

Another expression of concern about the large amount of interest from foreign fabrication  yards in ScotWind work. Sir Jim McDonald of the Scottish Offshore Wind Council advocates collaboration of Scottish ports in clusters as a way of overcoming this threat. A view that is not in keeping with the competitive mindset of the ETZ proponents.

Following Vattenfall’s application for screening opinion request from Marine Scotland for an onshore landing site for hydrogen from the Offshore Wind Deployment Centre, with one of the 5 potential sites at Girdleness, is that one use for the South Harbour and possibly the ETZ in the Park, following the Dutch strategy ?  

Some consternation about human rights records and business practices of some of the successful Scotwind bidders, as well as about selling the licences too cheaply.    

Options agreemenst due to be signed in April. “The devil in the detail” of the supply chain work that will be clearer then is cited. Planning for ScotWind 2 will start later this year, as so many of the 74 bidders will have been disappointed, but it is not known when the auction will start and if it is necessary for Scotland to reach Net Zero by 2045. Expect details of other ways developers can become involved in offshore wind in the Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas leasing round (INTOG) ( to electrify O&G platforms)