European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre

The wind farm was initially proposed by the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) in 2003.[6] The original plan was for 20 two-megawatt turbines in an eight kilometres long row about 1 kilometre offshore.[6] A geological survey of Aberdeen Bay was begun in 2007,[7] and a grant of 40 million euros was offered by the European Commission in 2009.[4] The proposal at that stage was for a maximum of 23 turbines.[4]

A planning application was lodged in August 2011.[8] The application was submitted by Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) in cooperation with two other companies, Vattenfall and Technip.[8] The proposal was for 11 turbines.[8] Planning consent was granted by the Scottish government in March 2013.[9]

In May 2013 Vattenfall announced plans to reduce its stake in the project.[10] In October 2013 Aberdeenshire councillors rejected a planning application to build an electricity substation.[11] In December 2013 it was announced that construction would be delayed for two years, with connection of the grid occurring in 2017.[12] In January 2014 an appeal against the substation vote was lodged.[13] The developers won the appeal in July 2014.[14]

Vattenfall decided to proceed with the 92 MW wind farm in July 2016.[15] The plan was for 11 turbines each of 8 MW placed 3 km from land,[1] with a contract for the assembly of suction bucket foundations for the turbines contracted out to Smulders Projects UK.[16]

American billionaire Donald Trump purchased a large part of the Menie estate near the village of Balmedie in 2006. He proposed to build a golf course, with a hotel, holiday homes and a residential village.[17] He expressed his concerns about the wind farm in April 2006 stating that "I want to see the ocean, I do not want to see windmills."[18]

In 2006 RSPB Scotland expressed concern about the effect both the wind farm and Donald Trump's golf course would have on the wildlife on the Aberdeenshire coast.[18] In 2011 the RSPB called for "more planning, research and monitoring ... to ensure we truly understand the impact this site may have on local birds."[19]

In September 2011 the Trump Organization filed an objection to the planning application.[20]

By 2012 the RSPB dropped its opposition to the wind farm following the reduction in the number of turbines and a change in the layout."[21]

In May 2013 Trump launched a legal challenge against the Scottish government's decision to grant planning permission for the wind farm.[22] The hearing began at the Court of Session in November 2013,[23] but was rejected in February 2014.[24] An appeal against the decision was heard at the Court of Session in January 2015,[25] but Trump lost the appeal in June 2015.[26] After the decision Trump said he would appeal before both the Supreme Court of the UK and the European Courts.[26] Trump's appeal was unanimously dismissed by the UK Supreme Court in December 2015.[27]

Connection work began in early 2017. The turbines are mounted on unusual suction bucket foundations. The sea cables are 66kV.[28] There are more than four miles of high voltage underground cable between the substation in Dyce (on the outskirts of Aberdeen) and the wind farm's onshore substation at Blackdog.[29] The first foundation was installed offshore in March 2018,[30] and the first turbine was installed in April.[31] The eleventh and final turbine was erected near the end of May.[32] First power was generated in July 2018,[5] with full commissioning following in September 2018.[3]

• List of offshore wind farms in the United Kingdom
• List of tallest structures in the United Kingdom

• Project website
• Government documents
• Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group
• Technical details, 4c