Thistle Wind Partners submits offshore plans for Bowdun farm

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Thistle Wind Partners (TWP) has taken the next step in the development of its Bowdun Offshore Wind Farm project with the submission of its offshore consent application to the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate – Licensing and Operation Team. 

This key project milestone takes TWP one step closer to realizing its ambitions for this significant fixed-bottom offshore wind project, which, once operational, will contribute 1 GW of renewable energy to the national grid, enough to power the equivalent of more than 1.2 million households.  

Bowdun is expected to support more than 700 jobs in Scotland during its five-year construction phase, alongside about 60 long-term roles through its future operations and maintenance base.

The submission of the offshore consent application means the full project is now in determination with both onshore and offshore elements under consideration. The onshore application was lodged with Aberdeenshire Council in November 2025, and together these represent a major step towards realizing the project.

“Submitting our offshore consent application marks a major step forward for the Bowdun Offshore Wind Farm and reflects the significant progress made by the team to date,” said Ian Taylor, Bowdun project director. “Bowdun has been designed not only to deliver up to 1 GW of clean, reliable power, but to maximize economic value for Scotland — supporting a strong domestic supply chain and creating high-quality jobs across development, construction, and long-term operations.”

“We are committed to working closely with local communities, suppliers and stakeholders as the project progresses, and we see real opportunity for the north-east of Scotland to play a significant role, particularly through our planned operations and maintenance base,” he said. “With the right frameworks in place, projects like Bowdun can help secure a lasting legacy for the region, accelerating the energy transition while driving investment and skills development.”

Since its establishment in 2022, TWP has successfully prepared and submitted four major consent applications across its ScotWind projects, covering both onshore and offshore elements for Bowdun and also the Ayre Offshore Wind Farm project. This achievement highlights the team’s ability to progress complex, nationally significant offshore wind developments at pace.

More info thistlewindpartners.scot