2013, Xodus Group Ltd., Buchan Deep, Hywind Pilot Park Project EIA Scoping Report series https://portal.medin.org.uk/portal/start.php?tpc=015_e20fe9ab-eea6-4208-a69f-5f2b8491afc2 As part of their offshore wind portfolio, SWL has invested in the development of the Hywind floating offshore Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) Unit, a concept that represents the world’s first full scale floating wind turbine. A fullscale demonstration WTG Unit (Hywind Demo) has been successfully in operation 10 km off the Norwegian westcoast since 2009. During the four years of testing, the WTG Unit has been verified as a technically viable concept and SWL is now planning to develop a Pilot Park which will be used to demonstrate technological improvements, operation of multiple units, and cost reductions in a park configuration as the next step towards achieving the long term vision for developing floating wind on a commercial scale. This Scoping Report, and accompanying navigational Preliminary Hazards Assessment (PHA) has been prepared in order to support the development of the Hywind Scotland Pilot Park and represents a formal request for a Scoping Opinion from Marine Scotland and Aberdeenshire Council, in consultation with the relevant statutory consultees. The request for a Scoping Opinion from Marine Scotland is for the Pilot Park and export cable and all offshore infrastructure below mean high water springs (MHWS) and the request for a Scoping Opinion from Aberdeenshire Council is for the export cable onshore and grid connection works (all works above mean low water springs, MLWS). The Scoping Report has been produced to facilitate the identification and initial assessment of the potential environmental impacts associated with the Project. It identifies the potential interactions there may be between the proposed Project and the environment in order to establish studies and/or surveys that might be required in order to better understand these interactions. Similarly, the aim of the PHA is to identify potential navigational hazards associated with the Project and determine, through consultation, how these hazards should be addressed as part of the NRA. Scoping is one of the early stages of the EIA process (see Section 5). The EIA process identifies the areas of a Project where significant environmental effects may occur and outlines mitigation or management techniques aimed at reducing or offsetting these effects. SWL wishes to seek feedback and advice on any particular environmentally or socially important issues associated with the proposed Project, for which consideration will be required in the EIA and subsequent ES. 20131001