The developer behind the Ayre Offshore Wind Farm has reached a significant milestone by submitting an offshore consent application to the Scottish Government's Marine Directorate.

The project is being spearheaded by Qair, a specialist in floating wind technology currently constructing the Eolmed floating wind farm in France.

Located to the east of Orkney, the Ayre Offshore Wind Farm is designed to contribute 1GW of renewable energy to the national grid. Once operational, the facility is expected to generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of more than 1.2 million households.

This latest submission follows closely on the heels of the onshore planning application, which was presented to The Highland Council three months ago. The application was prepared by Thistle Wind Partners (TWP), a consortium comprising Qair International, DEME Concessions, and Aspiravi International.

-- Advertisement --

Ewan Walker, Ayre Project Director, said: "This represents another major step forward for Ayre and follows extensive consultation with stakeholders and local communities. Ayre will be built and operated from the north of Scotland, bringing lasting local benefits while also contributing to UK and Scottish Government decarbonisation targets.

"Ayre will deliver around 100 permanent jobs at a new operations base in the north of Scotland. It will enable skills development and will provide significant local supply chain opportunities to support the project during both construction and operation."

The Marine Directorate's public consultation on the application officially opened on 11 December 2025 and is set to run until 8 February 2026. Members of the public and interested stakeholders can view the application documents via the Marine Directorate's online portal.

The project reinforces Qair's long-term commitment to the Scottish renewable energy sector, as the company continues to develop its portfolio of next-generation floating wind infrastructure.