Viking Energy (www.vikingenergy.co.uk), the developer of the 103-turbine Viking wind farm in Shetland, is applying for changes to the consented project — to be able to use more-powerful turbines.

The company — a joint venture between Perth-based energy company SSE plc and the Shetland community — said that using turbines of 4MW or more would allow it to get closer to its consented capacity of 457MW, and this would also increase the potential income to Shetland Charitable Trust, which has a 45% stake in the project.

The announcement comes as Viking Energy is looking to participate in the UK Government’s Contracts for Difference (CfD) auction next year.

It aims to start construction in 2020 and then connect the wind farm to the proposed 600MW interconnector in 2024. The developer also wants to increase the maximum tip height to 155m (from 145m) and the turbine hub height to 95m (from 90m).

Ian Innes, Viking Energy project director, said: “It’s unfortunate that the wind farm has been held up for a number of years. Turbine technology has advanced considerably since the project was consented, so it wishes to install the best turbines on the market to maximise its output of clean electricity.”

The project was launched more than 10 years ago. The developer applied in 2010 to install 127 turbines, but the Scottish ministers reduced the number by 24 when approving the project.

The planning consent, secured in 2012, was challenged in the courts but re-affirmed in 2015.