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Partnering with WREN, questionnaires are sent to offshore wind energy developers around the world who are involved in environmental monitoring. This page provides contextual project information and highlights environmental monitoring, providing links to available data and reports. Content is updated annually.

Robin Rigg

Robbin Rigg

Contents

Wind Project Site

Title: Robin Rigg
Status:
Operating
Project Manager:
RWE Renewables (RWE)
Turbine Developer:
Vestas Wind Systems A/S
Construction Start:
Operation Start:
Info Last Updated:
Contact:
Umberto Binetti
(login for email address)
Website:
External Link

Details

Technology:
Fixed Offshore Wind
Project Scale:
Commercial Farm
Turbine Model:
V90-3MW
Hub Height:
80 m
Rotor Diameter:
100 m
Number of Turbines:
58
Capacity per Turbine:
3 MW
Installed Capacity:
174 MW
Support Structure:
Monopile
Export Cable Voltage:
132 KV
Number of Export Cables:
2
Physical Site:
Shallow Water (<60m)
Water Depth:
4-13 m
Distance from Shore:
11 km
Country:
United Kingdom

Description

Robin Rigg is a 174 MW offshore wind farm, comprising the Robin Rigg East and Robin Rigg West projects, and was the first commercial offshore wind farm in Scottish waters. It provides enough electricity to power for over 137,000 average UK households and offset around 230,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year. 

In March 2011, Robin Rigg became the first offshore wind farm to enter the Offshore Transmission Owners (OFTO) regime with the two offshore and onshore export cables and the onshore 132 kV substation being bought by Transmission Capital and Amber Infrastructure. Robin Rigg was constructed by E.ON and is now owned and operated by RWE Offshore Wind. 

Location

Robin Rigg offshore wind farm is located on a sandbank in the Solway Firth, midway between the Galloway and Cumbrian coasts in the Irish Sea and St. Georges Channel. It has an operations base in Port of Workington. 

Project Timeline

  • April 2010: Fully Commissioned  
  • 2009: Foundation Installation Completed 
  • 2008: First Turbine Installed  
  • May 2008: Two Substations Installed 
  • 2007: Foundation Installation Start 
  • 2006: Offtake Conditionally Secured 
  • 2001: Site Exclusivity Obtained from The Crown Estate 

Licensing Information

  • March 2024: Scottish Government, Marine Licence - Scour Protection 
  • January 2021: Scottish Government, Marine Licence - Potential Cable Repairs 
  • December 2019: Scottish Government, FEPA Licence 
  • December 2019: Scottish Government, Marine Licence – Removal of Turbines 
  • December 2019: Scottish Government, Marine Licence - Potential Cable Repairs 

Key Environmental Issues

Prior to construction of the wind farm, a Marine Environment Monitoring Programme (MEMP) was agreed and developed in conjunction with the Robin Rigg Management Group (RRMG). The remit of the MEMP was to monitor key uncertainties and record any changes to the physical and ecological environment that may be caused by the construction and operation of the wind farm. Consistent and comprehensive data has been gathered on the diversity, abundance and distribution of birds, marine mammals, fish and shellfish that utilise and function in and around the offshore wind farm site and cable route. 

Environmental Papers and Reports

Environmental Monitoring: Robin Rigg

ID Phase Stressor & Receptor Design and Methods Results Publications Data
2082732 Baseline Birds Boat Surveys
Two boat surveys of the Robin Rigg site were completed each month from May 2001. Surveys were also carried out twice monthly for a full year from May 2001 to April 2002. Aerial survey work started in November 2001, further surveys were undertaken in December 2001 and March and April 2002. 		Complete
The key species identified for detailed assessment during the boat-based surveys were red-throated diver, Manx shearwater, storm petrel, gannet, cormorant, scaup, common scoter, kittiwake, guillemot, and razorbill. 		Natural Power 2002 No data publicly available.
2082729 Baseline Fish Data Analysis
Data on the abundance of adult and juvenile Atlantic salmon were analyzed to assess the potential impact of offshore wind farm construction and operation on local stocks. 		Complete
Given the available data and model assumptions, no significant effect of wind farm construction was detected on the abundance of either adult or juvenile salmon. 		Thorley 2013 No data publicly available.
2082731 Baseline Fish Trawl Surveys
Monthly trawl surveys were conducted in an area surrounding the proposed Robin Rigg offshore wind farm from November 2001 to April 2002. Additional past fish survey data was reviewed. 		Complete
The most common fish and epibenthic shellfish species recorded between November 2001 and April 2002 were:

• brown shrimp (Crangon crangon)

• plaice (Pleuronectes platessa)

• dab (Limanda limanda)

• whiting (Merlangius merlangus)

• Dover sole (Solea solea). 		Natural Power 2002 No data publicly available.
2082727 Baseline, Construction, Operations Displacement

Birds, Marine Mammals 		Boat-based surveys
Boat-based surveys were conducted on a bi-monthly basis between May 2001 and April 2002. Monthly boat-based surveys were conducted in April/May 2003 and bi-monthly surveys between January and September 2004 (additional survey in July 2007). Construction surveys began in January 2008 and continued on a bi-monthly basis until February 2010. Post-construction surveys conducted monthly for five years. 		Complete
Common scoter and Red-throated diver were recorded in the survey area throughout the year. The raw data indicates a decline in construction phase numbers compared to pre-construction.

The raw data suggests there was no change in Harbour porpoise or Grey seal numbers recorded throughout the three development phases. 		Walls et al. 2013

Aerial Bird Survey Data 2001-2002
2082730 Baseline, Construction, Operations Displacement

Birds, Marine Mammals 		Boat-based surveys
Abundance and distribution data was collected at the Robin Rigg Offshore Wind Farm during more than 10 years of monitoring (via boat-based surveys) to test for evidence of displacement of common guillemot and harbor porpoise. 		Complete
Guillemots and Harbor porpoises were observed across the study area during all three development phases. The highest observations of guillemots were during pre-construction and lowest during construction. 
Harbor porpoise were not recorded within the footprint of the wind farm during the construction phase. 		Vallejo et al. 2017 No data publicly available.
2082728 Baseline, Construction, Operations Displacement

Fish 		Trawl Surveys
Monthly trawls of 31 sampling stations in and around the wind farm area were conducted from November 2001 to April 2002. During construction, non-migratory fish surveys were performed for the first three months (then frequency reduced to quarterly). Bi-annual post-construction surveys conducted for three years. 		Complete
Significant differences were found in the mean fish catch between construction periods, however no significant differences were recorded for epibenthic invertebrates. 		Natural Power 2002 No data publicly available.
2082726 Baseline, Construction, Operations Habitat Change

Physical Environment 		Benthic Surveys and Analysis
Benthic grab samples were collected from 100 stations adjacent to the perimeter of the wind farm during October 2001 and February 2002. Bi-annual benthic surveys were conducted throughout the pre-construction and construction phases. Post construction annual surveys were conducted for two years. Data analysis was carried out on sampling 		Complete
Initial analysis showed a difference between the construction periods, the further analysis showed a change or trend throughout the construction periods. The results of the grab data reveal a shifting around of species for each construction period although Nephtys cirrosa and Bathyporeia elegans are the predominant species throughout. 		Walls et al. 2013

2001-2002 and 2007-2011, Robin Rigg Offshore Wind Farm Environmental Monitoring Programme, Benthic Grab Survey Data
2082734 Construction Displacement

Birds 		Boat-based surveys
The boat-based surveys were carried out between October and December 2009 to provide the construction phase data. 		Complete
Numbers in the study area during October-December 2009 were similar to those recorded during the 2008 October-December surveys, though with a higher peak count of divers and cormorants, and comparatively low numbers of guillemot. One species new to the surveys was observed during October-December 2009, buzzard. 		Percival et al. 2010

2001-2015, Robin Rigg Offshore Wind Farm, Bird and Marine Mammal Surveys
2082733 Construction Displacement

Marine Mammals 		Vessel-based surveys
The vessel-based marine mammal monitoring surveys commenced with baseline surveys in February 2004 running through to January 2005, supplemented by further pre-construction surveys in July 2007. 		Complete
Surveys showed that harbor porpoise continued to be present within the estuary, and exhibited apparently normal behavior, over the period of piling activity. There was no evidence of standings and piling was never delayed by presence of cetaceans near works. Marine mammals are extremely unlikely to have been harmed by construction and any wider disturbance does not appear to have had gross effects, such as displacement from the estuary. 		Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies Ltd (CMACS) 2009

2001-2015, Robin Rigg Offshore Wind Farm, Bird and Marine Mammal Surveys
2082737 Construction, Operations Displacement

Birds 		Boat-based Surveys
Two surveys were completed each month from May 2001 to April 2002. Monthly surveys were performed in April/May 2003 and between January and September 2004. Construction phase surveys began in January 2008 and continued on a bi-monthly basis until the end of the phase in February 2010. Surveys were completed in all months of the construction phase except November 2009. 		Complete
Little evidence has been found for changes in abundance, distribution or flight height of key seabird species attributable to the wind farm. 		Canning et al. 2013 No data publicly available.
2082736 Operations Displacement

Birds, Fish 		Trawl and Boat-Based Surveys
2 m trawl was towed for 15 minutes at 31 sampling stations in and around the Robin Rigg farm site. Fish surveys were carried out during the baseline, and during construction and post construction periods.
Boat-based visual bird surveys comprising of 10 transects conducted monthly or bimonthly, depending on phase. The analytical methodology has been determined by the data available to Natural Power Consultants during and after construction. 		Complete
The low level of correlation between species assemblages and distance from site for both fish and epibenthic assemblages suggests wind farm presence is not driving change within the Solway Firth.
Little evidence has been found for changes in abundance, distribution or flight height of key seabird species attributable to the wind farm. 		Canning et al. 2013 No data publicly available.
2082735 Operations Displacement

Fish 		Electro-Sensitive Fish Surveys
Eight surveys along cable route for EMF fish and fish caught from non-migratory fish sampling. 		Complete
Three species found in vicinity of Robin Rigg. Number of fish decreased during construction period but increased to almost pre-construction values in Ops Yr1. 		Wells and Shenton 2011, Walls et al. 2013 No data publicly available.