Rugby Club Issue 89 | Page 71

Green goals off the coast of Angus Seagreen offshore wind farm is set to be Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm and the country’s single largest source of renewable energy. This fantastic feat of engineering and innovation will be built 27km off the Angus coast by leading renewable energy developer SSE Renewables. Construction offshore for the project is scheduled to start in 2020 with first generation expected in 2021. The project will generate enough clean, renewable energy to power around 1 million homes, making a significant contribution to the Scottish Government’s net- zero ambitions. But, the benefits of Seagreen go further than just the generation of renewable energy. The project is bringing investment and long-term jobs, across a range of disciplines, to the area, including at its Operations and Maintenance base at Montrose Port which will be the official ‘home’ of the project for the lifetime of its operation. And as the project’s home, the team want to help foster and grow the thriving community here in Angus by getting involved with groups close to the heart of the local community and be a good neighbour throughout construction and operation. Carnoustie Rugby Club is an incredibly important part of this wonderful community, providing local rugby for people of all ages and abilities, from Micros all the way up to Golden Oldies. Seagreen has been lucky enough to be the sponsor for the Micros team this rugby season, and it’s been great to see the team wearing their kits, emblazoned with the Seagreen logo on the pitch. The team has also worked to get to know the local communities by helping them with their efforts to make the Angus coastline a little more green through beach cleaning efforts organised by local groups, East Haven Together and Monifieth Eco Force. The wider community is also set to benefit from a £1.8m community fund from the project. The team is currently working with the key community councils to establish how the fund can best help them support transformational projects in the area. In addition to this there is also a commitment to establish a £400,000 STEM Fund to attract young people to STEM based careers and provide resources to support STEM based learning at local primary and secondary schools across Angus. The past six months have been a very exciting time for the Seagreen project, with plans moving forward and contracts being awarded. There’s still a lot to be done and we look forward to continuing to build relationships with communities. For more information about Seagreen you can go on- line to the project website at www.seagreenwindenergy. com. www.rugbyclubmag.com 71