This is a list of offshore wind farms within the national maritime boundaries of the United Kingdom.
In October 2023 the nameplate capacity of offshore wind farms in operation was approximately 14 GW, with a further 5 GW under construction. Contracts for difference for a further 9 GW have been awarded by the UK Government.
If all the proposed wind farms are developed, then in the 2030s the United Kingdom would have a nameplate capacity of 77GW.
In October 2023, there were offshore wind farms consisting of 2,695 turbines with a combined capacity of 14,703 megawatts. Strike price based on £/MWh at 2012 prices.
Offshore wind farms currently under construction (offshore), with a combined capacity in October 2023 of 5,202 MW. Strike price based on £/MWh at 2012 prices.
Name | Country | Location | Cap. (MW) | No. | Model | Project commissioning | Strike Price | Depth range (m) | km to shore | Owner | Refs. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Neart Na Gaoithe | Scotland | 56°16′4″N2°19′15″W / 56.26778°N 2.32083°W | 450 | 54 | Siemens 8MW SG 8.0-167 DD | 2024 | 114.39 | 20 | EDF R / ESB | [52] [13] | |
Sofia Offshore Wind Farm | England | 55°00′N1°56′E / 55.0°N 1.93°E | 1400 | 100 | Siemens 14MW SG 14-222 DD | 2026 | 39.65 | 195 | RWE | [53] [54] [55] [56] [57] | |
Doggerbank A | England | 54°46′12″N1°55′01″E / 54.77°N 1.917°E | 1235 | 95 | GE-Haliade X 13MW | 2023 | 39.65 | 131 | SSE Renewables, Equinor | [53] [58] [59] [60] [61] [62] | |
Doggerbank B | England | 1235 | 95 | GE-Haliade X 13MW | 2Q2024 | 41.61 | SSE Renewables, Equinor | [53] [59] [60] [61] | |||
Moray West | Scotland | 58°06′N3°06′W / 58.1°N 3.1°W | 882 | 60 | Siemens SG 14-222 DD | 2025 | 37.35 (294MW contracted under CFD) | Ocean Wind | [63] [64] [65] [66] [67] [68] [69] [70] [71] | ||
Wind farms that have started onshore construction and have been awarded contracts under the UK Government's Contracts for Difference Round 3 (2019)/Round 4 (2022). Total capacity of 6,522 MW. Strike price based on £/MWh at 2012 prices.
Name | Country | Location | Cap. (MW) | No | Model | Project commissioning | Strike price | Depth range (m) | km to shore | Owner | Refs. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Doggerbank C | England | 1218 | 87 | GE-Haliade X 14MW | 2Q2025 | 41.61 | SSE Renewables, Equinor | [53] [72] [60] [61] | |||
East Anglia Three | England | 1372 | 95 | Siemens Gamesa SG 14-236 DD | 2026 | 37.35 | Iberdrola | [73] [74] [75] [76] | |||
Hornsea Three | England | 2852 | 231 | Siemens Gamesa SG 14-236 DD | 2027 | 37.35 | 160 | Ørsted | [77] [78] [79] [80] | ||
Inch Cape | Scotland | 15 kilometres off the Angus coast, East Scotland | 1080 | Vestas V236-15 | 37.35 | Inch Cape Offshore | [81] |
This wind farm was proposed under the UK Government's Contracts for Difference Round 3 (2019), [53] with a capacity of 12 MW. Strike price based on £/MWh at 2012 prices.
Name | Country | Location | Cap. (MW) | No | Model | Project commissioning | Strike price | Depth range (m) | km to shore | Owner | Refs. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Forthwind | Scotland | 12 | 2023/24 | 39.650 | Forthwind Limited | [53] |
Wind farms proposed under the Round 4 (2022) CFD auction, [82] with a combined capacity of 1,428 MW . Strike price based on £/MWh at 2012 prices.
Name | Country | Location | Cap. (MW) | No | Model | Project commissioning | Strike price | Depth range (m) | km to shore | Owner | Notes | Refs. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TwinHub Floating Offshore Wind Project | England | 32 | 87.30 | Wave Hub Limited | ||||||||
Norfolk Boreas, Phase 1 | England | 53°00′00″N2°56′00″E / 53.00000°N 2.93333°E | 1380 | Vestas | 2027 | 37.35 | 72 | RWE | Ownership changed Dec 2023 | [83] [84] [85] [86] [87] |
Wind farms that are in an exploratory phase and have not yet secured a Contract for Difference at auction.
Total capacities: England: 18,423 MW - Wales: 700 MW - Scotland: 30,326 MW
Name | Country | Location | Cap. (MW) | No | Model/ capacity | Technology | Project commissioning | Option Price | Depth range (m) | km to shore | Owner | Notes | Refs. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
East Anglia One North | England | 800 | Fixed | 2026 | 69 | Iberdrola | [73] | ||||||
East Anglia Two | England | 900 | Fixed | 2026 | Iberdrola | [73] | |||||||
Rampion 2 Extension | England | 50°40′00″N0°16′00″W / 50.66667°N 0.26667°W | 1200 | 90 | Fixed | 2030 | E.ON | Pre-examination stage with planning inspectorate - Oct 2023 [88] | [89] | ||||
Norfolk Vanguard East | England | 1380 | Vestas | Fixed | Before 2030 | RWE | Construction of HVDC platforms started - 04/24 | [90] [86] [87] [91] | |||||
Norfolk Vanguard West | England | 1380 | 92 | Vestas V236-15 | Fixed | Before 2030 | RWE | Construction of HVDC platforms started - 04/24 | [86] [87] [91] | ||||
Dogger Bank South | England | 3000 | Fixed | £248m | RWE | Signed lease with Crown Estate - Jan 2023 | [92] [93] [94] | ||||||
Awel y Môr | Wales | Adjacent to Gwynt y Môr wind farm | estimated 500 | up to 50 | Fixed | RWE | [95] | ||||||
Five Estuaries | England | Adjacent to Galloper Wind Farm | 353 | TBD | Fixed | RWE | [96] | ||||||
North Falls | England | Adjacent to Greater Gabbard wind farm | 504 | up to 72 | Fixed | SSE Renewables, RWE | [97] | ||||||
Dogger Bank D | England | 1320 | Fixed | SSE Renewables, Equinor | Signed lease with Crown Estate - Jan 2023 | [98] [93] | |||||||
Berwick Bank | Scotland | Outer Firth of Forth | 4100 | Fixed | 2030 | SSE Renewables | [99] | ||||||
Seagreen Phase 1A | England | 500 | Fixed | SSE Renewables, TotalEnergies | [100] | ||||||||
Outer Dowsing | England | Off the Lincolnshire Coast, East of the Humber Estuary | 1500 | Fixed | 2030 | £125m | 54 | Corio Generation, TotalEnergies | Aug 2022 - scoping report sent to the Planning Inspectorate. Signed lease with Crown Estate - Jan 2023 | [101] [102] [103] [93] [94] | |||
Hornsea Four | England | 2600 | 180 | Fixed | 2030 | 69 | Ørsted | Development Consent granted 12 July 2023 | [104] [105] [106] | ||||
Morecambe | England | Off the Lancashire Coast, West of Blackpool and South West of Morecambe Bay | 480 | 20 - 40 | Fixed | 2028 | £45m | 30 | Offshore Wind Limited | Signed lease with Crown Estate - Jan 2023 | [101] [107] [108] [93] [94] | ||
Mona | England | Off the Northern Welsh Coast, North East of Anglesey | 1500 | Fixed | £231m | 35 | 30 | EnBW, BP | Signed lease with Crown Estate - Jan 2023 | [101] [109] [93] [94] | |||
Morgan | England | Off the coast of Barrow-In-Furness, West of Morecambe Bay | 1500 | Fixed | £231m | 35 | 30 | EnBW, BP | Signed lease with Crown Estate - Jan 2023 | [101] [109] [93] [94] | |||
Morven | Scotland | "Map Reference 1" | 2907 | Fixed | £85.9m | 65-75 | 60 | BP Alternative Energy Investments | Nov 2022 - two floating LiDARs to be deployed | [110] [109] [111] | |||
Ossian | Scotland | "Map Reference 2" | 2610 | Up to 270 | Floating | £85.9m | SSE Renewables | Potential to grow to 3.6GW. Nov 2022 - completed a geophysical and benthic survey | [110] [112] [113] | ||||
Bellrock | Scotland | "Map Reference 3" | 1200 | Floating | £28m | Falck Renewables | Feb 2023 - FLS200 floating LiDAR buoy to be deployed. | [110] [114] [115] | |||||
CampionWind | Scotland | "Map Reference 4" Off the East coast of Scotland | 2000 | Floating | £86m | Averaging 77 | 100 | ScottishPower, Shell | [110] [116] | ||||
Muir Mhòr | Scotland | "Map Reference 5" | 798 | Floating | £20m | 67 | Vattenfall | Jun '23 Geophysical and environmental surveys started | [110] [117] [118] | ||||
Bowdun | Scotland | "Map Reference 6" - E3 leasing zone off Bowdun Head | 1008 | 50 to 60 | 18-25MW each | Fixed | Construction to commence 2029 and commissioned in 2033 | £18.7m | 44 | Thistle Wind Partners | Mar '23 renamed, formerly Cluaran Deas Ear | [110] [119] [120] | |
Ayre | Scotland | "Map Reference 7" NE2 leasing zone, off East Mainland of Orkney | 1008 | Floating | Construction to commence 2029 and commissioned in 2033 | £20m | 33 | Thistle Wind Partners | Mar '23 renamed, formerly Cluaran Ear-Thuath | [110] [111] [120] | |||
Broadshore | Scotland | "Map Reference 8" | 900 | Floating | £25.6m | Falck Renewables | Feb 2023 - FLS200 floating LiDAR buoy to be deployed. | [110] [121] [115] | |||||
Caledonia | Scotland | "Map Reference 9" - adjacent to Moray East and Moray West OWFs. | 2000 | Fixed | 2030 | £42.9m | Ocean Winds (joint venture between ENGIE & EDP Renewables) | May 2023 - LiDAR devices to be deployed. Geophysical surveys partially complete. | [110] [122] | ||||
Stromar | Scotland | "Map Reference 10" | 1000 | Floating | £13.4m | Falck Renewables | [110] [123] | ||||||
MarramWind | Scotland | "Map Reference 11" - North East coast of Scotland | 3000 | Floating | £68.4m | Averaging 100 | 75 | ScottishPower, Shell | [110] [124] | ||||
Buchan | Scotland | "Map Reference 12" | 960 | Floating | £33m | BayWa | A floating LiDAR Buoy has been deployed - Nov 2022 | [110] [125] [126] [127] | |||||
West of Orkney | Scotland | "Map Reference 13" | 2000 | Fixed | £65.7m | Offshore Wind Power | Oct 2022 - completed offshore and nearshore surveys | [110] [128] | |||||
Havbredey | Scotland | Northwest of Lewis | 1500 | Floating | 2036 | £3.9m | 35 | Northland Power | [110] [129] [130] | ||||
"N3 Project" | Scotland | "Map Reference 15" | 495 | 15 | Mixed | 2030 | £10.3m | 106-125 | Magnora | [110] [131] | |||
Spiorad na Mara | Scotland | "Map Reference 16" - West coast of Lewis | 840 | Fixed | 2031 | £16.1m | 5 | Northland Power | This project will be prioritized over the Havbredey project. | [110] [129] [130] | |||
MachairWind | Scotland | "Map Reference 17" | 2000 | Fixed | £75.4m | Scottish Power | [110] [132] | ||||||
Sheringham Shoal and Dudgeon Extensions | England | Adjacent to existing Sheringham, Shoal and Dudgeon Wind Farms | 719 | up to 56 | Fixed | Equinor | April 2024 - Project has Secured Development Consent | [133] [134] | |||||
Pentland | Scotland | Off the coast of Dounreay, Caithness | 7 | Floating | 2026 | Highland Wind Limited | Offshore consent approved by Highland Council - Oct 2022 | [135] [136] [137] | |||||
Llŷr 1 | Wales | Off the coast of Pembrokeshire | 100 | Floating | 2027 | 60-70 | 40 | Floventis Energy | Benthic and geophysical surveys completed | [138] | |||
Llŷr 2 | Wales | Off the coast of Pembrokeshire | 100 | Floating | 2027 | 60-70 | 40 | Floventis Energy | Benthic and geophysical surveys completed | [138] | |||
Whitecross | England | Off the Devon/Cornwall coast | 100 | up to 8 | Floating | 2027 | 50 | Offshore Wind Ltd | [139] [140] |
In October 2022, there was one offshore wind farm that had been decommissioned, consisting of 2 turbines with a combined capacity of 4MW.
Name | Country | Location | Cap. (MW) | No. | Model | Project decommissioning | Strike Price | Build cost | Cap. fac. | Depth range (m) | km to shore | Owner | Refs. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blyth Offshore | England | 55°08′09″N01°29′25″W / 55.13583°N 1.49028°W | 4 | 2 | Vestas V66-2MW | 2019 March | £4m | 6–11 | 1.6 | E.ON | [141] |
Iberdrola is a Spanish multinational electric utility company based in Bilbao, Spain. Iberdrola has a workforce of around 40,000 employees serving around 30 million customers. Subsidiaries include ScottishPower and a significant part of Avangrid, amongst others. As of 2023, the largest shareholder of the company is the Qatar Investment Authority, with BlackRock and Norges Bank also holding significant interests.
The United Kingdom is the best location for wind power in Europe and one of the best in the world. The combination of long coastline, shallow water and strong winds make offshore wind unusually effective.
The Thanet Wind Farm is an offshore wind farm 7 miles (11 km) off the coast of Thanet district in Kent, England. On commissioning it was the world's largest offshore wind farm. It has a nameplate capacity of 300 MW and it cost £780–900 million (US$1.2–1.4 billion). Thanet is one of fifteen Round 2 wind projects announced by the Crown Estate in January 2004 but the first to be developed. It was officially opened on 23 September 2010, when it overtook Horns Rev 2 as the biggest offshore wind farm in the world. It has since been overtaken by many others.
Wind power is the fastest-growing renewable energy technology in Scotland, with 11,482 megawatts (MW) of installed wind power capacity by Q1 2023. This included 9,316 MW from onshore wind in Scotland and 2,166 MW of offshore wind generators.
In 2021 France reached a total of 18,676 megawatts (MW) installed wind power capacity placing France at that time as the world's seventh largest wind power nation by installed capacity, behind the United Kingdom and Brazil and ahead of Canada and Italy. According to the IEA the yearly wind production was 20.2 TWh in 2015, representing almost 23% of the 88.4 TWh from renewable sources in France during that year. Wind provided 4.3% of the country's electricity demand in 2015.
A floating wind turbine is an offshore wind turbine mounted on a floating structure that allows the turbine to generate electricity in water depths where fixed-foundation turbines are not feasible. Floating wind farms have the potential to significantly increase the sea area available for offshore wind farms, especially in countries with limited shallow waters, such as Spain, Portugal, Japan, France and the United States' West Coast. Locating wind farms further offshore can also reduce visual pollution, provide better accommodation for fishing and shipping lanes, and reach stronger and more consistent winds.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm is a group of offshore wind farms under construction 130 to 200 kilometres off the east coast of Yorkshire, England in the North Sea. It is considered to be the world's largest offshore windfarm. It was developed by the Forewind consortium, with three phases envisioned - first phase, second phase and third phase. In 2015, the third phase was abandoned, while the first and second phases were granted consent. It was initially expected that the Dogger Bank development will consist of four offshore wind farms, each with a capacity of up to 1.2 GW, creating a combined capacity of 4.8 GW. As of 2023, a total of 277 turbines are expected to be built and produce a capacity of 3.6 GW, enough to power 6 million homes.
The East Anglia Array is a proposed series of offshore wind farms located around 30 miles off the east coast of East Anglia, in the North Sea, England. It has begun with the currently operational East Anglia ONE, that has been developed in partnership by ScottishPower Renewables and Vattenfall. Up to six individual projects could be set up in the area with a maximum capacity of up to 7.2 GW. The first project, East Anglia ONE at 714 MW, received planning consent in June 2014 and contracts in April 2016. Offshore construction began in 2018 and the project was commissioned in July 2020. It is expected to cost £2.5 billion.
Hornsea Wind Farm is a Round 3 wind farm which began construction in 2018. Sited in the North Sea 120 km (75 mi) off the east coast of England, the eventual wind farm group is planned to have a total capacity of up to 6 gigawatt (GW).
Wind power is a form of renewable energy in South Korea with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) and particulate matter (PM) emissions caused by coal based power. After two oil crises dating back to the 1970s, the South Korean government needed to transition to renewable energy, which encouraged their first renewable energy law in 1987.
Wind power is a major industry in Taiwan. Taiwan has abundant wind resources however a lack of space on land means that most major developments are offshore. As of February 2020, there were 361 installed onshore turbines and 22 offshore turbines in operation with the total installed capacity of 845.2 MW.
The energy islands of Denmark are two large-scale offshore wind farm projects that the government of Denmark is planning to establish, in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea respectively, by 2030. In the North Sea, an artificial island will be constructed with the capacity to serve as a hub for up to 3 GW of offshore wind farms initially, and potentially up to 10 GW in the future. The artificial island may take the form of a sand island, steel platforms, or a large container lowered into place and filled with stone material, and would be located approximately 80 kilometres (50 mi) west of Jutland, at a water depth of 26–27 metres (85–89 ft). In the Baltic Sea, a hub will be built on the natural island of Bornholm that will be able to serve up to 3 GW of offshore wind farms.
SouthCoast Wind, formerly known as Mayflower Wind, is a proposed offshore wind farm in U.S. federal waters about 30 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard and 23 miles south of Nantucket, Massachusetts with an name plate capacity of 804 MW in Lease OCS-A 0521, which covers 127,388 acres. Construction is expected to start in the mid-2020s.
Moray East Wind Farm is an offshore wind farm located in the Moray Firth off the coast of Scotland.
The United Kingdom became the world leader of offshore wind power generation in October 2008 when it overtook Denmark.