Partnering with WREN, questionnaires are sent to offshore wind energy developers around the world who are involved in environmental monitoring. This page provides contextual project information and highlights environmental monitoring, providing links to available data and reports. Content is updated annually.

Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm

Description

At the time of completion, Beatrice Offshore Windfarm was the world’s fourth largest offshore wind farm (and Scotland’s second largest). Beatrice covers an area of 131 square kilometres and is composed of 84, 7MW Siemens Gamesa turbines. It has a total installed capacity of 588 MW and is capable of providing electricity for up to 450,000 homes. With a capital expenditure of around £2.5bn, Beatrice was also one of the largest ever private investments in Scottish infrastructure.

Location

Beatrice Offshore Windfarm is located in Scottish waters of the North Sea 13 km off the Caithness coast with the nearest port being Wick Harbour. The two offshore cables take a route of 70 km along the seabed to a landfall point to the west of Portgordon on the Moray coast.

Licensing Information

  • 2022: Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate, 04461/00009451-Offshore Transmission Works License-Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm, Moray Firth
  • 2020: Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate, European Protected Species License – Post-construction geophysical surveys-Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm, Moray Firth-00007286/00009454
  • 2017: Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate, European Protected Species License-Construction and Operation of the Beatrice Offshore Windfarm and Transmission Works-Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm, Moray Firth
  • 2017: Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate, Marine License-Alternative Landfall Cable Installation Method-Spey Bay, Moray Firth-06302
  • 2017: Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate, Marine License-Deployment of Waverider Buoys-Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm
  • 2016: Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate, Marine License-Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) clearance activities-Beatrice Offshore Wind farm, Moray Firth-06145
  • 2016: Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate, European Protected Species License-Unexploded Ordnance Clearance-Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm, Moray Firth
  • 2014: Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate, Section 36 Consent-Construction and Operation of Offshore Windfarm and Transmission Works License-Beatrice Offshore Windfarm
  • 2014: Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate, 0442-Offshore Generating Station License-Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm, Moray Firth

Project Timeline

  • 2021: Ownership change (CIP sold equity interests)
  • 2020: Export cable replacement
  • 2019: Fully commissioned
  • 2018: Turbine and Foundation installations completed
  • 2016: Onshore construction commenced, and Site Investigation conducted (by Fugro)
  • 2015: Site Investigations (by APEM Limited) and Geological Site Investigations (by MMT Ltd)
  • 2014: Interim Management Statement released, Offtake conditionally secured, and site and geological investigations conducted (by Brown and May and Fugro GeoConsulting Ltd)
  • 2013: Planning Permission granted by The Moray Council
  • 2011: Site investigation and Crown Estate awarded agreements for lease

Key Environmental Issues

Beatrice Offshore Windfarm is participating in a Project Environmental Monitoring Programme (PEMP), which outlines the approach taken to environmental monitoring of the potential environmental impacts associated with post-construction and operation and maintenance. The PEMP is designed to provide guidance to those involved in the management of the offshore transmission assets. The wind farm also participates in a regional Marine Mammal Monitoring Programme (MMMP) to monitor the potential environmental impacts of the development on marine mammals. 

Metadata Documents

Environmental Papers and Reports

Environmental Monitoring: Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm

Phase Stressor & Receptor Design and Methods Results Publications Data
Baseline Fish Trawl Surveys
The survey was carried out in two trips between 20th February and 13th March 2014 (Trip 1 from 20th February to 25th February, and Trip 2 from 9th March to 13th March) coinciding with the peak spawning season. Sampling was undertaken using a commercial rock-hopper otter trawl with a 120 mm mesh cod-end, fitted with a 20 mm blinder (provided by MSS). Out of a planned 42 sampling locations a total of 40 tows of 30 minutes duration were undertaken within and adjacent to the Beatrice Offshore Windfarm site to cover areas of the cod spawning grounds. Two stations were omitted on the first trip due to weather and time constraints. 		Complete
Cod were caught in 34 out of 40 stations sampled, with a maximum of 13 individuals recorded at a single station (0T05, Trip 2). A total of 47 spawning cod were caught in the survey, 25 in Trip 1 and 22 in Trip 2.
All fish and commercial shellfish species caught were identified, counted, measured, and returned to the sea. Sub-sampling by species was carried out at sea when necessary. A total of 39 species were caught in the survey. Dab (Limanda limanda), plaice (Pleuronectes platessa), haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) and whiting (Merlangius merlangus) were the principal by-catch species found. 		Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Limited 2015 No data publicly available.
Baseline Marine Mammals Data Analysis
Examined distribution data from the southern coastline of the outer Moray Firth with respect to the marine physiography of the area, specifically the environmental variables water depth, slope, aspect, and sediment type. 305 minke whale encounters, collected from dedicated boat surveys between May and October 2001 to 2006, were used in construction of a Geographic Information System (GIS) for the 260 square-km study site. 		Complete
The analysis revealed a strong spatial preference by whales in this location for water depths between 20 and 50 meters, steep slopes, a northerly-facing aspect, and sandy-gravel sediment type. 		Robinson et al. 2009 No data publicly available.
Baseline Marine Mammals Boat Surveys and Habitat Use Analysis
Boat-based surveys were conducted off the east coast of Scotland between 2009 and 2015 in the summer months (May-September) to collect photoidentification data of bottlenose dolphins. Conventional mark-recapture models used to estimate abundance assume an equal probability of capture among animals on any single sampling occasion. The RD model framework was applied. Presence/absence data processing, environmental data variables, and GPS modelling approach was utilized. 		Complete
254 photo identification surveys were conducted between 2009 and 2015 across the population's main distributional range, of which 79 surveys occurred in St Andrews Bay and the Tay estuary. Overall, there were 1,139 encounters of bottlenose dolphin groups, of which 275 occurred in St Andrews Bay and the Tay estuary. Good-quality photographs resulted in the identification of 128 marked dolphins, of which 82 were identified in St Andrews Bay and the Tay estuary between 2009 and 2015, with 33 to 52 individuals identified annually. 		Civil et al. 2019 No data publicly available.
Baseline Marine Mammals Boat Surveys and Photo-Identification
Boat-based surveys and photo-identification techniques were used to study the distribution and movements of individually recognizable dolphins over a 3-year period.  		Complete
Dolphins were seen in all months of the year, but there were consistent seasonal fluctuations in the number of individuals present. Numbers were low in winter and spring and peaked in summer and autumn. In terms of conservation, the high use of areas at the mouths of the inner firths warrants special attention. Furthermore, the stratification patterns amongst dolphins suggest that individuals do not move freely within the inner Moray Firth and therefore may be unable to move away from localized disturbance or pollution. 		Wilson et al. 1997 No data publicly available.
Baseline Marine Mammals Photo identification
The Marine Mammal Monitoring Programme aims to conduct monitoring of harbour seals (land-based photo ID) and bottlenose dolphins (boat-based photo ID) in order to determine how populations will be affected by the two new wind farms (MORL and BOWL) in the Moray Firth. Baseline data were compiled in 2015. 		Complete
Baseline data have been compiled for harbour seal and bottlenose dolphin populations in the Moray Firth. 		Thompson 2015

Metadata: Individual based data on Bottlenose dolphins in the Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation
Baseline Marine Mammals Tagging and telemetry, aerial surveying
39 grey seals were tagged between 1993 and 2002 to analyse pup movement at breeding sites. Data was collected until 2009, and aerial survey data were included between 1996 and 2009. 		Complete
Spatial usage of grey seals around MORL/BOWL (Moray and Beatrice) proposed development sites was characterized. 		Moray Offshore Wind Farm (East) Limited 2012 No data publicly available.
Baseline Birds Aerial Surveys
Between December 2007 and March 2008, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee conducted a series of aerial surveys of non-breeding aggregations of seaducks, divers and grebes within several Scottish inshore areas.  		Complete
Collected data on the numbers and distribution of inshore waterbirds in areas of the United Kingdom known to be important for these groups of species. 		Lewis et al. 2009 No data publicly available.
Baseline Birds Existing Data Analysis
Counts and figures for the Strategic Environmental Assessment Area 5 from the Wetland Bird Survey Annual reports from 1991/92 to 2000/01 and relevant bird reports were included in this review. In general data from 1991 onward were considered with the aim of presenting the most recent estimates for the important sites. Sites that regularly hold more than 1 % of the national population of a species are deemed to be nationally important, and sites with more than 1 % of the biogeographic population are internationally important. 		Complete
Of the nine species reviewed, five species, whooper swan, mute swan, pink-footed goose, greylag goose and barnacle goose occur in internationally important numbers at coastal sites in the SEA5 area. Greenland white-fronted goose occur in nationally important numbers. 		Barton and Pollock 2004 No data publicly available.
Baseline Birds Digital Aerial Survey
During the 2015 seabird breeding season (May to July) six pre-construction surveys were conducted. As well as updating the seabird distribution and abundance data, these provided a baseline dataset for later comparison with post-construction surveys. 		Complete
Overall, seabird abundance and distributions in the Wind Farm were similar to those seen previously, with guillemot the most numerous species in the Wind Farm (peak Wind Farm abundance > 7,000) followed by kittiwake (peak >1,500), puffin (peak >900), gannet (peak > 400), razorbill (peak > 200), herring gull (peak >100) and great black-backed gull (peak > 25). On the basis of the results of the pre-construction surveys completed during May – August 2015, and the comparison with the 2010 and 2011 boat based survey results, it is concluded that a single year of pre-construction aerial monitoring will provide sufficient data to enable robust comparisons with post-construction data. 		Trinder and MacArthur 2016 No data publicly available.
Baseline Fish Fish Tags
Salmon smolts were captured in a fixed trap and tagged in both the Moray and Cromarty Firths, Scotland. Fish behavior was determined from the detections of tagged fish at the fixed arrays. Statistical analysis was used to determine the rate of movement, swim depth model, residence event duration, and group and individual survival. 		Complete
Smolts were successfully tracked up to 30km from shore within the open marine environment, and >60km from the river mouth. Contrary to the general hypothesis that smolts would migrate in a northerly direction close to the coast, the location of detections across the MSS transect would indicate an eastward movement of individuals from the Cromarty Firth. Mortality rates within the study were relatively low when compared with other studies. Smolts were predominantly detected within the top metre of the water column, and were detected shallower in the water column at night than during the day. 		Newton et al. 2017 No data publicly available.
Operations Habitat Change

Physical Environment 		Grab Sampling & Analysis
Grab sampling was conducted on June 16th and 17th, 2021. Sample analysis was conducted, an estimation of biomass was undertaken, and sub-sampling and particle size analysis was performed. The particle size data from all survey replicates were combined as consistent size fractions and entered into a particle analysis software to produce sediment classifications. 		Complete
Overall, sediment type was similar across the survey area and was predominantly sandy. The results of the particle size analysis were similar to the 2010 site characterization survey for the EIA and 2015 pre-construction survey. 		Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Limited 2021 No data publicly available.
Operations Displacement

Birds 		Aerial and Boat Surveys, Data Analysis, and Spatial Modeling and Design-Based Analysis
Surveys were conducted in 2015 and 2019 in a region extending from the East Caithness coast to beyond the eastern Wind Farm boundary and extending to the north-east and south-west beyond the limits of the Wind Farm. Both pre- and post-construction surveys were conducted by using high-definition video cameras which record data continuously, generating strip transect data with the entire area surveyed within a single day on each occasion. Data analysis, spatial modeling, and design-based analysis of birds on the water was conducted. 		Complete
On the basis of the design-based population estimates, the post-construction surveys found broadly similar overall abundance (within the total study area) for all species. 		Trinder 2021 No data publicly available.
Operations Displacement

Fish 		Tow Surveys and Survey Analysis
A total of 42 tows of 30 minutes duration were completed at 21 stations in two sampling trips between 1st March and 29th March 2021. Sampling was undertaken using a commercial rockhopper otter trawl with a 120 mm mesh cod-end, fitted with a 40 mm blinder. The length, sex and spawning condition of each cod was identified and recorded. 		Complete
Cod were caught in 13 out of 42 tows undertaken, with a maximum of five individuals recorded at a single station (0T05, Trip 1). A total of 19 spawning cod were caught during the surveys, 17 in Trip 1 and 2 in Trip 2. In line with the previous survey conducted in 2014, the number of cod by swept area (catch rate) were calculated using the net sensor data outputs. Comparison of the results of the pre- and post-construction surveys suggests that cod spawning occurred in the survey area pre-construction and that this continues to be the case post-construction. Both surveys found cod in relatively low numbers.  		Trinder 2021 No data publicly available.
Operations Displacement

Fish 		Dredging Survey
A total of 61 stations were sampled, using a modified shellfish dredge (sandeel dredge). Dredging was carried out during night hours when the majority of sandeels were expected to be buried in the sediment. 		Complete
Overall, sandeels were found in higher numbers in stations in the south-eastern section of the site. This is consistent with the results of the 2014 pre-construction survey. During postconstruction, however, sandeels were found in higher numbers than pre-construction. From the results of the post-construction survey there is no evidence to suggest that the construction of Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm has resulted in negative impacts on the local sandeel population. 		Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Limited 2021 No data publicly available.
Operations Displacement

Marine Mammals 		Marine Mammal Monitoring Programme
This construction Marine Mammal Monitoring Programme consists of four work packages. The first covers the requirements for harbour seal monitoring, the second for bottlenose dolphin monitoring, the third for harbour porpoise monitoring, and the fourth for providing the underpinning noise measurements and modelling.
It includes land-based photo-identification, boat-based photo-identification, passive acoustic monitoring, broad and medium-scale array echolocation data loggers (CPODs), calibrated noise recorders, data analysis, and parabolic equation models 		Ongoing
Data from these recordings will underpin the monitoring of harbour porpoise occurrence during construction and will be used to investigate variation in noise levels during the different phases of construction.
Results from these studies have been used to update the proposed programme for Moray East. 		Graham et al. 2021 No data publicly available.
Operations Habitat Change

Invertebrates 		Vessel Surveys, Lab Analysis of Underwater Video/Stills
A turbine foundation (and extending seabed habitat) survey and the acquisition of underwater video/stills were completed. A laboratory analysis of the video and stills was completed. 		Complete
Based on the results of the survey there was limited evidence for effects of fouling communities on the epibenthic community composition in the immediate vicinity of the turbines, other than the presence of some mobile species. 		Cordingley and Hubble 2021 No data publicly available.