Created by the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, in partnership with the developers of four major Scottish offshore wind farm projects – MachairWind, Spiorad na Mara, Stoura and Arven – the Fit for Offshore Renewables (F4OR) Island programme will offer fully-funded, expert support to help eligible companies succeed in the offshore wind industry, both at home and abroad.

The first programme dedicated specifically to island businesses, it builds on the success of ORE Catapult’s wider award-winning Fit for Offshore Renewables (F4OR) programme which was established in 2019 and is now one of the UK’s most successful supply chain mentoring programmes. The programme is open to businesses looking to break into the offshore sector, scale up an existing presence in the industry, or make the transition to renewables from the likes of the oil and gas sector.

It has supported more than 150 companies over the last five years who have, on average, experienced an increase in turnover of 28% as a result of securing new contracts and many have gone on to become market-leading suppliers to the offshore wind sector.

The new programme has been tailored to better fit the business demographics of Scottish island and coastal-based businesses, with changes to the entry requirements to make it more accessible and plans to deliver more support at the winning businesses’ operational locations to reduce the need for travel.

Up to ten companies will be selected to join the F4OR Island programme.

Andy Macdonald, Director - Development & Operations at ORE Catapult, said: “Scotland’s islands have a proud history of technology innovation and engineering prowess coupled with an enviable depth of specialist expertise gained servicing the oil and gas sector. They are therefore ideally equipped to make the transition to the growing offshore wind sector and we would encourage companies developing innovative technology solutions to apply for this latest programme.

“This opportunity has been in collaboration with our industry partners, ScottishPower Renewables (SPR), Ocean Winds, Northland Power and ESB who share our ambitions to support the clean energy transition, help accelerate the growth in offshore renewable energy and progress the UK’s net zero ambitions.”

Kiera Wilson, ScottishPower Renewables’ MachairWind Development Lead, said: “It’s great to be working with ORE Catapult and fellow ScotWind developers to bring this exciting opportunity to life for our island and coastal communities. We know from speaking to many local businesses in the vicinity of our MachairWind windfarm – located off the coast of Islay and Colonsay – that there is a huge amount of interest in how they can make the most of their fantastic skills, capabilities and experience to tap into the offshore wind industry and join us in delivering a clean energy future. I would urge all eligible businesses to apply and I’m excited to see who comes forward.”

Ewan Walker, Project Director at Arven Offshore Wind Farm said: “ Arven is committed to advancing floating offshore wind and supporting the local businesses and communities that are key to its success. The F4OR programme offers island companies valuable expertise to help them strengthen their capabilities and access opportunities in the growing offshore wind sector. We’re proud to be part of this initiative and look forward to seeing island-based businesses contribute to Scotland’s sustainable energy transition.”

Neil Carthy, Offshore Development Procurement Lead, Spiorad na Mara, said: “We are delighted to support this F4OR programme specifically for island businesses. With the proposed Spiorad na Mara project sited off the west coast of Lewis, we are eager to work with, and support, the local supply chain to be part of the great opportunity it represents for island businesses and the local economy. This tailored programme can go a long way towards positioning local companies to take advantage of this opportunity, and others in the future.”

Cian Desmond, Stoura Project Director, ESB said: "We are delighted to partner with ORE Catapult to deliver this innovative program which will help to maximise local content during the development, construction and operation of the 500 MW Stoura Offshore Wind Farm. The marine and engineering expertise and infrastructure available in Shetland are world class, this program will help to ensure that the relevant organisations understand the needs of the offshore wind energy industry and are primed to secure future contracts."

Under the F4OR programme, companies undergo a rigorous evaluation process comprising health and safety standards, environmental sustainability practices, project management capabilities and financial stability, as well as their applicability to the renewable energy market.

For more information on the F4OR programme and to submit an Expression of Interest, please click here

A F4OR Scottish Islands briefing webinar will take place on Thursday, 6 February 2025. Click here for more information and to sign up.

The milestone – requesting a formal ‘Scoping Opinion’ from the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate, the offshore planning authority – is a key element in the preparation of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the proposed MachairWind offshore windfarm.

The process will establish the environmental factors to be assessed and the approach to be taken throughout the EIA process, which will form a critical part of the MachairWind planning application, expected to be submitted in early 2026.

MachairWind could generate up to 2GW of clean, green electricity – enough to power the equivalent of up to two million homes – and deliver significant investment, jobs and opportunities across the west coast of Scotland and beyond.

The scoping report covers the windfarm development area only – the area of seabed north-west of Islay and west of Colonsay that will host up to 147 wind turbines and foundations as well as the cables connecting the turbines.

The area has been significantly reduced in size by ScottishPower Renewables – from 754km² to 510 km²– as part of its early design considerations and could be refined further as project plans develop.

The report sets out existing environmental information based on publicly available data, site-specific surveys and studies, and stakeholder feedback from the likes of Argyll & Bute Council, NatureScot, Historic Environment Scotland, RSPB Scotland, and organisations representing commercial fisheries.

It then sets out technical topics that would be assessed as part of the EIA – including seascape, landscape and visual impact; offshore ornithology; marine mammals; commercial fisheries, socio-economics; and shipping and navigation.

The Marine Directorate is expected to provide its formal Scoping Opinion in the new year, following detailed consultation and engagement with key stakeholders.

Kiera Wilson, ScottishPower Renewables’ MachairWind Development Lead, said: “The submission of our scoping report is an important milestone and a key step in the consenting journey for MachairWind. We’re committed to ensuring our project is shaped by local people, communities and stakeholders and minimises any potential impacts while maximising benefits and opportunities across the Argyll and Bute region and the west of Scotland.

“We look forward to receiving feedback in due course and shaping our EIA and development proposals to ensure MachairWind does just that.”

The MachairWind Windfarm Development Area Scoping Report and appendices are available on the Marine Scotland website: https://marine.gov.scot/node/25685.

This was the team’s second year attending and sponsoring the event which saw over 1,000 attendees. Around 300 visitors visited the SPR stand for face painting, VR experiences and to learn more about our MachairWind progress.

MachairWind Project Director Kiera Wilson said: "It was brilliant to be back on the island for the Islay, Jura & Colonsay Agricultural Show and our thanks to everyone who took the time to stop by the MachairWind stand in the newly-named ‘energy corner’ and have a chat with the team. 

"This year’s show really highlighted how much more awareness there is of our project among local people, which was great to see and shows that our visits and presence at events like this are making a positive difference. We also loved getting the chance to introduce MachairWind to a new audience too and look forward to continuing to build awareness and knowledge of the project and what’s happening among islanders and local businesses over the coming weeks and months. We’re currently finalising the next phase of our community engagement programme and we’ll share news on this soon, but be assured – we will be back!"