By Kirstine Wood, Head of Communications and Public Affairs
In 2025, over 100 visitors will set sail for something truly special – an up-close experience of the Kincardine Offshore Windfarm, hosted by our teams at Flotation Energy. Over two weeks, stakeholders from across government, education, supply chain and industry will leave the shore behind and step into the heart of the UK’s clean energy revolution.
Kincardine floating offshore windfarm
We have been running these trips for three years now and as Head of Communications and Public Affairs, I see them as so much more than just boat rides or photo ops. They’re a powerful form of knowledge-sharing in action. There’s something transformational about seeing Kincardine up close – the world’s largest grid-connected floating windfarm. It’s not just about turbines on the horizon; it’s about witnessing first-hand the innovation, engineering and ambition powering the UK’s energy transition.
We’ve just wrapped up the first week of this year’s visits and the momentum is clear. There’s a shared drive among our visitors – whether they’re policymakers, partners or future collaborators – to accelerate floating offshore wind and turn the UK’s net zero ambitions into reality.
Of course, the Scottish weather added a bit of drama to our plans! Despite some beautiful blue skies, the North Sea’s swells didn’t always play along – and so was the case with our delegation from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. Low visibility and high swells meant the offshore trip had to be rescheduled.
So instead, we arranged a valuable visit to the onshore sites of the Kincardine project, including the cable landfall point. Seeing this part of the infrastructure first-hand offered a welcome opportunity to explore and discuss the real-world challenges developers face in bringing power ashore to the grid.
GB Energy and Flotation Energy – Kincardine stakeholder visit
Why Kincardine matters
Flotation Energy’s connection to Kincardine runs deep. Although we no longer own the windfarm, our founders – based in Aberdeenshire – originally developed the project. And, many of those teams that crafted their skills and deep technical expertise on the Kincardine project now work within Flotation Energy across our global portfolio. For us, Kincardine is more than a milestone, it’s the original story of floating wind – and it was crafted in Scotland.
It proved that this new and innovative technology works, it continues to demonstrate that floating wind is commercially viable and it has set the stage for Scotland to become a global leader in the renewable energy revolution. The lessons learned at Kincardine now inform projects around the world – and they’re directly shaping the UK’s next chapter.
From Kincardine to Green Volt and Cenos
The future of floating wind isn’t a distant vision – it’s unfolding right now in UK waters. Alongside our joint venture partner Vårgrønn, we’re delivering Green Volt and Cenos: two pioneering commercial-scale floating wind projects, awarded through Crown Estate Scotland’s INTOG leasing round.
These projects are built on the foundations Kincardine laid. They’re leveraging the insights gained and developing local supply chains, advancing offshore access, improving environmental monitoring and introducing innovative installation techniques.
Green Volt is leading the way. With planning consent secured in Q2 2024 and a Contract for Difference awarded in September the same year, it’s firmly on track to be Europe’s first commercial-scale floating windfarm. And it’s more than a flagship for green power – it’s a catalyst for economic growth, set to generate over £2.5 billion in GVA (Gross Value Added) and create thousands of UK jobs.
”Bringing people to Kincardine helps translate vision into reality. It shows what’s possible when engineering brilliance meets bold ambition and cross-sector collaboration. These trips give our guests a real-world snapshot of what a new UK industry looks like - and what’s next on the horizon.”
Kirstine Wood, Head of Communications and Public Affairs
Turning ambition into action
Alongside policy and industry representatives, this year we welcomed UK-based and international journalists on a press trip arranged in partnership with OEUK and Port of Aberdeen. The strong attendance reflects the growing recognition of floating wind within the UK and the important part in plays in our ongoing energy security. The media plays a vital role in shaping public understanding of the energy transition and spotlighting the major economic opportunities it brings, especially to the north east of Scotland.
We’ve been delighted to welcome so many passionate and curious minds on board: from government representatives and educators to supply chain partners. Each visitor brings their own perspective, but all share a commitment to building a cleaner, more secure energy future.
And of course, none of this would be possible without the incredible local support that helps us bring these trips to life. A heartfelt thank you to Port of Aberdeen, OEUK, Aberdeen City Council, 210 Bistro, our fantastic vessel charter team aboard the GXS Viking and the wider team at Clarksons for crew and taxi transfer, as well as many others behind the scenes who help make these important visits happen.
To learn more about our projects or if you’re an industry professional keen to see Kincardine for yourself, please contact us via email at [email protected].
