World's Biggest Wind Farm Planned for Waters Off Scotland

Terry Macalister reports on the £4.5bn plan to construct 339 turbines covering 300 square kilometres off Scotland's northern coast, which could potentially power 40% of the country's homes.

1 minute read

September 4, 2012, 10:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Recently submitted for planning permission, the 1.5-gigawatt wind farm to be located more than 12 miles offshore, "is being developed by Moray Offshore Renewables, a joint venture between
Spanish oil company Repsol, and an arm of Portuguese power group EDP,
which has recently become partly owned by China's state-owned Three
Gorges Corporation."

According to Macalister, "The renewable industry has hailed it as a watershed moment but warned
these new deep water farms might only be fully realised if the
government provides policy stability by pushing through its proposed Energy Bill."

Apparently, the wind farm has at least one prominent critic. "It has already attracted controversy because it is opposed by American
billionaire Donald Trump, who says the 200-metre-high turbines will
spoil the view from his planned new golf course."

Friday, August 31, 2012 in The Guardian

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

March 9 - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9 - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

March 9 - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation