Cerulean Winds has appointed experienced commercial leader Laura Jarvie to a new Head of Scotland role, where she will work closely with stakeholders on the development of the North Sea Renewables Grid.

Cerulean has leases in place to develop three large floating offshore wind sites, providing an offshore green power generation and transmission system that will supply energy to oil and gas platforms, enabling the sector to cut production emissions.

The developer has taken premises within Neo House on Aberdeen’s Riverside Drive as it builds a project team to deliver the multi-billion-pound project on a fast-track timeline to support the delivery of UK emissions reduction targets.

Laura Jarvie has over 20 years’ experience in the energy sector, spanning oil and gas, energy transition and renewables. Most recently as Head of Energy Transition at North Sea Midstream Partners (NSMP), where she led the investment strategy across energy transition projects including the Acorn carbon capture and storage (CCUS) development and the transformation of St Fergus gas terminal into Scotland’s Energy Transition Hub.

Laura Jarvie commented: 
“Through Cerulean’s North Sea Renewables Grid, UK Plc has a unique opportunity to enable a dynamic solution to decarbonise oil and gas production. Having worked in the energy sector for over two decades I am extremely passionate about enabling emissions reductions in order to protect energy security and encourage investment in the North Sea. It will therefore be my absolute priority to ensure alignment between and success for the multitude of stakeholders involved. There are many aspects of the project that sit out with a developer’s control, and therefore collaboration will be vital to enable the success of the project.”

Laura previously spent four years with operator EnQuest as Midstream Business Manager, where she led multi-stakeholder negotiations in order to transform and extend the life of Sullom Voe Terminal. She held previous Business Development and Commercial roles at operators Dana and Shell having started her career in M&A with Simmons and Co (now Piper Sandler).

Dan Jackson, founding director of Cerulean Winds commented: 
“Laura has a fantastic network and track record of realising complex commercial energy projects and she will be integral to the relationships we are building with stakeholders across Scotland as we deliver floating wind at an unprecedented scale.”

Cerulean and its consortium partners are in the process of putting the necessary supply chain contract packages in place with FEED expected early this year and talks advancing with Scottish ports and yards.

Independent analysis has shown that Aspen, Beech and Cedar – the three sites that will form the North Sea Renewables Grid – are expected to deliver over £10 billion combined in Gross Value Added (GVA) for the UK and remove thousands of tonnes of emissions.

Across the development, construction, operational and maintenance phases the project is expected to create over 5,000 jobs in Scotland, with first power being targeted for 2028. It will also enable a new transmission system to be created, with surplus power which can be used in the UK and exported to Europe.

Crown Estate Scotland’s INTOG leasing round is a world first, bringing forward floating wind at scale to decarbonise oil and gas production and propel renewable innovations.

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