5.3.8. Potential Cumulative EffectsPotential Cumulative Effects

  1. The nearest offshore wind farm projects are Seagreen 1 (formerly known as Seagreen Alpha and Bravo), Seagreen 1A, and Berwick Bank, located 57 km, 66.40 km, and 56.77 km respectively, away from the site boundary. There are also other offshore wind farm projects in the Firth of Forth region, such as Inch Cape and Neart na Gaoithe, however these are located further inshore (86.90 km, and 105 km, respectively) ( Figure 5.2   Open ▸ ). There are also a number of ScotWind Awarded Sites in the vicinity of the Array, such as Morven (5.5 km), Bellrock (8.67 km), Cluaran Deas Ear (25.36 km), CampionWind (44.15 km), and Muir Mhòr (51.38 km) ( Figure 5.2   Open ▸ ). On the basis that no impacts due to airborne noise are proposed to be scoped in for the Array and due to sufficient distances between the site boundary and the other aforementioned offshore wind farm projects, it is proposed that no cumulative assessment regarding airborne noise will be required for the Array. Due to the low likelihood of impacts to airborne noise arising from the Array, cumulative effects due to potential overlaps in construction with the other projects, for example, are also unlikely.
  2. Similarly, there are also leasing and oil and gas activities within the North Sea, however these activities are also not expected to result in cumulative effects due to distance and the lack of receptor impact pathways for airborne noise.

5.3.9. Potential Transboundary ImpactsPotential Transboundary Impacts

  1. Appendix 3 presents the transboundary impacts screening which has been carried out for the Array. This screening exercise identified that there is no potential for transboundary impacts related to airborne noise due to construction, operational and maintenance, and decommissioning impacts of the Array.

5.3.10. Scoping Questions to ConsulteesScoping Questions to Consultees

  • Do you agree that the existing data available to describe the offshore airborne noise baseline remains sufficient in relation to the Array?
  • Do you agree that the assessment of airborne noise receptors can be scoped out of the Array EIA including cumulative and transboundary effects ( Table 5.8   Open ▸ )?

5.3.11. Next StepsNext Steps

  1. The next step is to seek agreement on the proposal to scope airborne noise out of further assessment within the Array EIA Report.

Figure 5.2:
Offshore Wind Farms in the Vicinity of the Site Boundary

Figure 5.2: Offshore Wind Farms in the Vicinity of the Site Boundary

 

5.4. Offshore Air QualityOffshore Air Quality

5.4.1. IntroductionIntroduction

  1. This section of this Scoping Report presents the relevant offshore air quality aspects to the Array and considers the scope of assessment on offshore air quality from the construction, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning of the Array.

5.4.2. Study AreaStudy Area

  1. As the focus of this Scoping Report only lies on the offshore components (i.e. the Array), ecological and human receptors (e.g. residential areas and public spaces) within the nearshore vicinity are not relevant due to their distance from the Array (at least 80 km). Therefore, the study area for offshore air quality will be the site boundary.

5.4.3. Baseline EnvironmentBaseline Environment

  1. The literature used to support this Scoping Report is comprised of the desktop reports, summarised in Table 5.9   Open ▸ .

 

Table 5.9:
Summary of Key Desktop Reports Used to Inform the Offshore Air Quality Scoping Assessment

Table 5.9: Summary of Key Desktop Reports Used to Inform the Offshore Air Quality Scoping Assessment

 

  1. Poor air quality may have impacts on human health, infrastructure, and the environment. Atmospheric pollutants that can be emitted into the environment include sulphur dioxide (SO2), carbon dioxide (CO2), NOX which is comprised of NO2 and nitrogen oxide (NO), PM10, and PM2.5. Oil and gas platforms pose the highest risk of air pollution in the offshore energy sector, however offshore wind farms may be responsible for some atmospheric pollutant emissions due to vessel and equipment usage. However, atmospheric pollutant emissions from vessel and equipment usage as a result of the Array will likely be similar to those associated with typical shipping activity, and the increase in vessel usage will be low in comparison to baseline levels. There are limited resources available on air quality at offshore wind farms and air pollution levels in the offshore environment, particularly at such distances from the coast (approximately 80 km).
  2. The National Emission Ceilings Directive (NECD) was revised in 2016 (NECD 2016/2284/EU) to delegate emission reduction commitments for NOx, SO2, non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC), ammonia (NH3), PM10, and PM2.5 for 2020 and 2030 (Official Journal of the European Union, 2016). The UK committed to set emission ceilings through the NECD and has met the reduction targets for all the mentioned pollutants each year since 2010, with the exception of NOX in 2010 (NECD, 2020).
  3. In Scotland, various strategies and legislation have been implemented with the aim to reduce emissions, such as Cleaner Air for Scotland (Scottish Government, 2022a), which sets out how the Scottish Government proposes to reduce air pollution to protect human health between 2021 to 2026. Similarly, the Climate Change (Emissions Reductions Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019, sets a target for net zero emissions by 2045 and plans for the establishment of low emission zones in Scotland’s four largest cities in the Transport (Scotland) Act, 2019.
  4. In 2021, NAEI undertook a review of the emissions of eight priority air pollutants in Scotland: carbon monoxide (CO), lead, NH3, NMVOCs, NOx, PM10, PM2.5, and SO2. Between 2005 and 2019, the following decreases in pollutant emissions were reported:
  • 85% for SO2;
  • 53% for NOx;
  • 51% for CO;
  • 37% for lead
  • 33% for PM2.5;
  • 30% for PM10;
  • 15% for NMVOCs; and
  • 9% for NH3 (NAEI, 2021).

                        Site-specific survey data

  1. There were no site-specific surveys undertaken to inform this Scoping Report for offshore air quality. This is due to the availability of sufficient existing information to describe the baseline environment.

5.4.4. Potential Array ImpactsPotential Array Impacts

  1. A list of all potential impacts on offshore air quality which may occur during the construction, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning phases of the Array in the absence of designed in measures is included in Table 5.10   Open ▸ .

 

Table 5.10:
Potential Impacts Identified for Offshore Air Quality in the Absence of Designed In Mitigation Measures

Table 5.10: Potential Impacts Identified for Offshore Air Quality in the Absence of Designed In Mitigation Measures

 

5.4.5. Designed In MeasuresDesigned In Measures

  1. There are no designed in measures specific to offshore air quality, however activities during all stages of the Array will adhere to good industry practice and relevant guidance (e.g. IAQM, 2018).

5.4.6. Potential Impacts After the Implementation of Designed In MeasuresPotential Impacts After the Implementation of Designed In Measures

  1. Table 5.11   Open ▸ describes the potential impacts to offshore air quality that have been scoped out of the assessment presently.

5.4.7. Proposed Approach to the Environmental Impact AssessmentProposed Approach to the Environmental Impact Assessment

  1. There is no proposed approach to the Array EIA applicable to offshore air quality as it is proposed to be scoped out of further assessment.

5.4.8. Potential Cumulative EffectsPotential Cumulative Effects

  1. The nearest offshore wind farm projects are Seagreen 1 (formerly known as Seagreen Alpha and Bravo), Seagreen 1A, and Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm, located 57 km, 66.4 km, and 56.77 km respectively, away from the site boundary. There are also other offshore wind farm projects in the Firth of Forth region, such as Inch Cape and Neart na Gaoithe, however these are located further inshore (86.90 km, and 105 km, respectively) ( Figure 5.2   Open ▸ ). There are also a number of ScotWind Awarded Sites in the vicinity of the Array, such as Morven (5.5 km), Bellrock (8.67 km), Cluaran Deas Ear (25.36 km), CampionWind (44.15 km), and Muir Mhòr (51.38 km) ( Figure 5.2   Open ▸ ). Due to the lack of a receptor-impact-pathway between the Array and the other aforementioned offshore wind farm projects, it is anticipated that there will be no cumulative effects regarding offshore air quality for the Array and these projects. In addition, these projects are all at different stages of development, further reducing the potential for cumulative effects. Similarly, there are also leasing and oil and gas activities within the North Sea, however these activities are also not expected to result in cumulative effects due to distance and the lack of receptor impact pathways for offshore air quality.
  2. Due to the low likelihood of impacts to offshore air quality arising from the Array, cumulative effects due to potential overlaps in construction with other offshore wind projects are also unlikely. There may be potential cumulative effects for the Ossian project as a whole (i.e. construction of the onshore and intertidal applications), however, these will not affect offshore air quality, and are thus, not considered within this Scoping Report.

5.4.9. Potential Transboundary ImpactsPotential Transboundary Impacts

  1. Appendix 3 presents the transboundary impacts screening which has been carried out for the Array. This screening exercise identified that there is no potential for transboundary impacts upon offshore air quality due to construction, operational and maintenance, and decommissioning impacts of the Array. This is due to potential impacts associated with the Array activities on offshore air quality expected to be minimal, non-significant and highly localised.

5.4.10. Scoping Questions to ConsulteesScoping Questions to Consultees

  • Do you agree that the existing data available to describe the offshore air quality baseline remains sufficient in relation to the Array?
  • Do you agree that the assessment of offshore air quality receptors should be scoped out of the Array EIA including cumulative and transboundary effects ( Table 5.11   Open ▸ )?

5.4.11. Next StepsNext Steps

  1. The next step is to seek agreement on the proposal to scope offshore air quality out of further assessment within the Array EIA Report. Additionally, the Climatic Effects Assessment is included in section 5.5.

 

Table 5.11:
Impacts Proposed to be Scoped Out of the Array Assessment for Offshore Air Quality

Table 5.11: Impacts Proposed to be Scoped Out of the Array Assessment for Offshore Air Quality

 

5.5. Climatic EffectsClimatic Effects

5.5.1. IntroductionIntroduction

  1. This section of this Scoping Report presents the relevant climatic effects assessment of the Array and considers the scope of assessment from the construction, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning of the the Array on climate, including consideration of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs). The GHG assessment is included as part of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach, which is a component of the overarching climatic effects assessment. The LCA will also consider the impacts and resilience of the Array to climate change.
  2. The climatic effects assessment, which will consider an in-combination effects assessment, will be produced as a standalone report, as an appendix to the Array EIA Report.

5.5.2. Study AreaStudy Area

  1. The climatic effects assessment will be undertaken at the national level and the study area will be Scotland (applying relevant administrative boundaries). 
  2. Unlike the remainder of this Scoping Report, the climatic effects assessment requires overview across offshore and onshore components of Ossian, which produce energy and transport it to the national grid. However, in the absence of sufficient information surrounding the onshore components (i.e. limited grid connection certainty) at the time of writing, the climatic effects considered in this Scoping Report ( Table 5.12   Open ▸ ) focus on the Array only.

                        Legislative overview

  1. The climate is one of the factors that requires consideration during the EIA development. The following policy and legislation will be considered as part of the climatic effects assessment:
  • Paris Agreement (2015);
  • Climate Change Act (2008);
  • Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009; and
  • The Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019.
  1. The policy context and adherence to relevant legislation will be further elaborated on in the climatic effects assessment itself.

5.5.3. Baseline EnvironmentBaseline Environment

  1. The current GHG emission levels in Scotland and the wider UK will be presented in the climatic effects assessment as part of the Array EIA Report, and will be informed by the following sources:
  • ‘UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions: 2022 Provisional Figures’ (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), 2022b);
  • ‘UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions: 2021 Final Figures’ (BEIS, 2022c);
  • ‘Scottish Greenhouse gas Statistics 2020’ (Scottish Government, 2022b); and
  • UK countries’ respective carbon reduction targets that are set out in the relevant legislation.
  1. Input and engagement from stakeholders are encouraged in order to characterise the baseline and assessment criteria further and to inform the methods by which the climatic effects assessment is carried out.

5.5.4. Assessment MethodologyAssessment Methodology

  1. The climatic effects assessment which will form an appendix to the Array EIA Report will present a qualitative assessment as described in this section.

                        Potential impact of the Array on climate

  1. Predicted GHG emissions associated with the construction, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning phases will be considered in relation to the zero carbon renewable energy produced by the Array as a contribution to the Government’s trajectory towards net zero. The emissions or reduction in emissions over the lifecycle of the Array will be considered in relation to the UK’s carbon budgets, in order to provide a qualitative assessment on how the Array would impact or contribute to the ability to meet these carbon budgets.
  2. The predicted GHG emissions associated with the construction, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning phases of the Array will be assessed in the climatic effects assessment, with reference to the framework set out in Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 2080:2016 (Carbon Management in Infrastructure).

                        Potential impact of climate on the Array

  1. The following actions will be undertaken as part of the assessment to examine the resilience of the Array to climate change:
  • an examination of Scotland’s current climate area using Met Office data from nearby long running meteorological stations and regional dataset of 30-year averages;
  • a review of any climate vulnerability effects observed in the Climatic Effects Assessment study area;
  • assessment of the future climate in Scotland, using the UK Climate Projections from the Met Office, which provide the most recent assessment of how the climate of the UK may change over the 21st century;
  • an examination of the Array’s vulnerability to the impacts of climate change during its construction, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning;
  • identification of specific mitigation to incorporate into the design, and operation and maintenance processes to reduce the Array’s vulnerability to climate change factors; and
  • an assessment of the residual climate change vulnerability of the Array that, in accordance with appropriate guidance (such as IEMA, 2022), considers the likelihood and consequence of each potential vulnerability.

                        Data sources

  1. A detailed desktop review will be undertaken to characterise the baseline conditions in the climatic effects assessment study area, using the sources provided in paragraph 308. At this stage, it is expected that other data and information sources may be identified during the review as part of the Array EIA Report, such as the final GHG emissions for 2022, which were not available at the time of writing this Scoping Report.

                        Significance criteria

  1. The following significance criteria will be used in the assessment ( Figure 5.3   Open ▸ ):
  • Major Adverse;
  • Moderate Adverse;
  • Minor Adverse;
  • Negligible; and
  • Beneficial.

Figure 5.3:
Different Levels of Significance of Effect plotted against the UK’s Net Zero Compatible Trajectory[6] (Source: IEMA, 2022)

Figure 5.3: Different Levels of Significance of Effect plotted against the UK’s Net Zero Compatible Trajectory[6] (Source: IEMA, 2022)

 

  1. For example, a project will be assessed as ‘major adverse’ if it is not compliant with UK government’s net zero trajectory and approaches a ‘business as usual’ approach. ‘Moderate adverse’ would occur if the adverse effects of the project fall short of fully contributing to the UK’s trajectory to net zero. A ‘minor adverse’ effect would occur if a project were fully in line with the UK’s trajectory towards net zero, and a ‘negligible’ effect would occur if the project provided GHG performance that is ‘well ahead of the curve’ for the trajectory to net zero and has minimal residual GHG emissions. Finally, a ‘beneficial’ project would have effects that substantially exceed the net zero requirements, with a positive climate impact.

                        Summary of effects to be assessed

  1. The proposed climatic effects that will be considered in the assessment are presented in Table 5.12   Open ▸ .

 

Table 5.12:
Proposed Climatic Effects to be Considered

Table 5.12: Proposed Climatic Effects to be Considered

 

5.5.5. Designed In MeasuresDesigned In Measures

  1. There are no designed in measures specific to the climatic effects assessment, however activities in all stages of the Array will adhere to good industry practice and relevant guidance to minimise climatic effects (such as IEMA, 2022 and IEMA’s GHG Management Hierarchy[7]).

5.5.6. Questions to ConsulteesQuestions to Consultees