The Scottish government this week approved plans to build an 11-turbine testing ground a few kilometers off the northeast coast of Scotland, rebuffing American celebrity real estate developer Donald Trump, who railed that the array will spoil the views from his seaside golf resort.

The conflict with Trump has raised the profile of this wind power development, yet also obscured its real importance for Scotland: The European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre, backed by the European Union, won’t be a mere wind farm; it promises to bring scientists, researchers, engineers and offshore wind companies to Scotland as tests on next-generation offshore turbines proceed. (See related photos: “Preserving Beauty, Providing Hydropower in Scotland.”)

It will also provide power – a remarkable amount, quite possibly, for