Aberdeen bay is to become a hub of ground-breaking offshore wind research.

Swedish power company Vattenfall have announced a series of projects to be carried out throughout the UK to assess and study the environmental effects of offshore wind.

The £2.6m programme is believed to be the largest-scale project of its kind, with half of the money provided by the European Union.

The projects, funded by the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) will focus on bottle-nose dolphins, salmon, sea trout and sea birds.

Adam Ezzamel, EOWDC project director at Vattenfall, said: "The announcement of these successful projects including three in Scotland is an exciting one with each having the potential to unlock fascinating new insights into the offshore wind environment and determine influencing environmental factors.

"The 92.4MW EOWDC test and demonstration facility offers an unmissable opportunity to conduct this pioneering research and monitoring programme. We are pleased to be facilitating such innovative research in the North-east which will bring considerable benefits to the region as well as the industry and policy-making."

WWF Scotland said: "Offshore wind is a critical technology in the fight against climate change, helping to reduce emissions, keep the lights on and create thousands of jobs across the UK and Scotland.

"This new package of research and development projects will enrich our understanding of the environmental and economic effects of offshore wind operating in our waters, helping ensure any future development maximises the benefits."