Offshore wind farm project is ready to hit the headlines in 2025.  After the setbacks of inflation and immature supply chain management, the global hunt for green energy is back on track. The offshore wind farm market is expected to see rapid growth from USD 42.43 billion in 2023 to USD 49.79 billion in 2024 at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 17.3%. Offshore wind farms harness wind energy from turbines in bodies of water, utilizing fixed structures anchored to the seabed or floating platforms, with electricity transmitted to the mainland grid via underwater cables.

As of June 2024, the Hornsea Zone off the coast of Yorkshire, UK, stands as the world's largest offshore wind farm project, encompassing multiple farms with a combined capacity exceeding 5 gigawatts (GW). Currently, there are 68,848 MW capacity of offshore wind farm projects around the world. After two decades of its history from Vindeby in Denmark, with new experiments and cutting-edge technology, companies have designed wind turbine models that can produce more than 20 MW.

Growing investments in offshore wind farm power projects and the interest of governments to back green energy have propelled the market in 2024. In this blog, we’ll explore the top seven upcoming offshore wind farm power projects in the World.

What are offshore wind farms?

Offshore wind farms are an energy conversion set-up where large wind turbines are installed offshore (in sea/ocean) to harvest wind energy which steadily blows in coastal lines. The electricity generated from the turbine is transmitted through cables to the existing substation onshore. Further, it is distributed to the existing power grid. To demonstrate how powerful an offshore wind turbine is, one rotation of GE Haliade-X 12 MW can power an entire UK home for 24 hours. Let’s dive into the top seven upcoming offshore wind farm power projects in the world.

Top 7 Upcoming Offshore Wind Farm Projects Around the World

Hornsea Three Offshore Wind Power Plant

Hornsea Three will be the world's largest single offshore wind farm upon completion. The offshore wind farm is located approximately 120 km off the Norfolk coast and 160 km off the Yorkshire coast in the UK, having a capacity of 2.9 GW offshore wind energy. This project is under development by Orsted and has a project value of USD 9600 million. 

The project will generate renewable electricity to power approximately 3.3 million homes in the UK. Also, it will create 5,000 construction jobs and 1,200 permanent positions. The HVDC Light system is used in the project for efficient long-distance underwater power transmission. 

The preconstruction phase focused on onshore preparations from July 2022 to May 2023, and the main construction phase began in May 2023 and is expected to continue until March 2026. Hornsea Three will have a lifespan of 15 years upon completion. It will be equipped with up to 231 units of SG 14-236 DD offshore wind turbines, each with a 14 MW capacity. The 

Jan De Nul Group, Havfram Wind, Haizea Wind Group, SeAH Wind, Hitachi Energy, Aibel, NKT, VolkerWessels, Hellenic Cables, Create, and WSP are some of the contractors involved in the project.

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East Anglia Hub Offshore Wind Complex 

The East Anglia Hub Offshore Wind Complex is one of the largest offshore wind projects in  UK waters of the North Sea. The project developed by Iberdrola through its UK subsidiary, ScottishPower Renewables will have 2.9 GW capacity. The company already operates the East Anglia One wind farm, which has a capacity of 714 MW. The project cost is estimated to be USD 6500 million.

The project will consist of three separate wind farms: East Anglia One North, East Anglia Two, and East Anglia Three, supplying clean energy to 2.7 million British homes. Construction of the East Anglia Hub offshore wind complex Began in 2022 and is expected to be completed in 2026.

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, ScottishPower Renewables with Cadeler, Subsea 7's Seaway 7, Aker Solutions partnered with Siemens Energy, Fugro, NKT, Offshore Design Engineering (ODE), Royal HaskoningDHV, and Wood Thilsted are contractors involved in the East Anglia Hub project.

Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Power Plant 

Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Power Plant is the third largest upcoming offshore project having 4.1 GW capacity, operated by SSE Renewables. The project aims to power over six million homes and reduce eight million tonnes of CO2 annually. This offshore wind farm located in the North Sea, has a project value of USD 6150 million.

The construction of the project will commence this year, and a planning application submitted in 2022 awaits approval. This will boost Scotland's renewable energy capacity by almost 30%. The project has secured two UK grid connection points, in East Lothian and Blyth, Northumberland. 

UTEC conducted topographical and ground-penetrating radar surveys and RPS led the offshore Environmental Impact Assessment and Habitat Regulation Appraisal. Other contractors included ITPEnergised, the British Geological Survey with Cathie, Hi-Def Aerial Surveying with SSE Renewables, and Kent for FEED and Detailed Design of WTG foundations. BVG Associates conducted an economic impact study, revealing potential job creation of up to 9,300 at peak construction.

West of Orkney Offshore Wind Power Plant

The West of Orkney Wind Farm is a 2GW project within the N1 Plan Option in Scotland's Offshore Wind Sectoral Wind Plan. The project is proposed by Offshore Wind Power Limited (OWPL), jointly owned by Macquarie's Green Investment Group (46.75%), TotalEnergies (38.25%), and Renewable Infrastructure Development Group (RIDG) (15%). The USD 5470 million project is expected to start in 2025.

The offshore wind energy farm is located 28 km from Hoy and at least 23 km from Caithness and Sutherland's north coasts and will have 125 turbines with fixed-bottom or floating foundations. Inter-array cables will connect turbines to Offshore Substation Platforms (OSPs), transmitting power via interconnector cables to onshore substations. 

Xodus Group Ltd handled the Environmental Impact Assessment, and Scottish Hydrogen Electric Transmission plc will manage grid infrastructure construction. Ocean Infinity and Spectrum Offshore conducted offshore surveys, overseen by TotalEnergies UK Offshore Wind Hub and advised by Offshore Wind Consultants. Power Purchase Agreements include renewable power delivery to the proposed Flotta Hydrogen Hub and connection agreements with the National Grid.

Ossian Offshore Wind Power Plant

Ossian Offshore Wind Power Plant is another top upcoming offshore wind energy farm situated off the Angus coast of Scotland in the North Sea. This project is developed by SSE Renewables (40% interest), Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (30% stake), and Marubeni Corporation (30% stake). The project value of the Ossian Offshore Wind Power Plant is estimated to be USD 5400 million.

Currently in the development phase, this project aims to become one of the largest floating offshore wind farms globally, with a capacity of up to 3.6 GW. Ossian is projected to supply electricity to nearly 6 million Scottish households while mitigating up to 7.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually. The wind farm includes up to 270 wind turbines and six Offshore Substation Platforms (OSPs). 

RPS leads the Environmental Impact Assessment, while HiDef Aerial Surveying conducts extensive digital aerial surveys across the project area. Geotechnical investigations, awarded to Fugro and Ocean Infinity, involve tasks such as geotechnical sampling, cone penetration testing, and seabed scope assessments.

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Mooir Vannin Offshore Wind Power Plant

The Isle of Man’s first offshore wind farm project, the Mooir Vannin offshore wind farm project is located off the coast of Maughold Head, Irish Sea. The project will have 1.4 GW capacity and the operation will commence between 2030 and 2040. The estimated cost of the project is around USD 4889 million. The project will feature five offshore platforms connected to the grid.

Agreement for Lease signed with the Isle of Man Government in late 2015 and Orsted has conducted comprehensive environmental and technical studies to assess the project's feasibility. This will be followed by thorough impact assessments and consultations this year, and a planning application will be submitted to the Isle of Man Government in early 2025.

Marramwind Offshore Wind Power Plant

Marramwind offshore wind farm having 3 GW is located in the North Sea, Scotland, UK. The project is developed by MarramWind Limited, a 50/50 joint venture between ScottishPower Renewables (UK) and Shell New Energies Holding. The project will power 3.5 million Scottish homes and support the country's goals to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045. The project cost is estimated to be USD 4500 million.

MarramWind secured development rights through the Crown Estate Scotland’s ScotWind Leasing Round in January 2022. MarramWind submitted the Environmental Impact Assessment- Scoping Report to Marine Scotland and Aberdeenshire Council in 2023. Two onshore substations will be used to comply with the UK Grid Code.

Dates for the grid connection are anticipated to occur between 2030 and 2035, pending confirmation from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) and the National Grid Electricity System Operator (NGESO). The project's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was prepared under the direction of WSP Environment & Infrastructure Solutions UK, with assistance from many consultants that specialise in different environmental studies.

The US offshore wind projects like Vineyard Wind, Ocean Wind 1 and Empire Wind are also contributing to the country's clean energy goals. Here are some of the other top upcoming offshore wind projects:

Morven Offshore Wind Power Plant
Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm
Arven Floating Offshore Wind Power Plant

Conclusion

The global offshore wind farm market is expected to experience significant growth in 2024, with the upcoming projects. The growth in offshore wind projects is driven by investments in offshore wind projects and government support for green energy initiatives by careful ocean energy management. The top seven upcoming offshore wind farm power projects in the world include Hornsea Three, East Anglia Hub, Berwick Bank, West of Orkney, Ossian, Mooir Vannin, and Marramwind. These projects are set to contribute significantly to renewable energy generation and reduce carbon emissions, with capacities ranging from 1.4 GW to 4.1 GW. The projects involve various contractors and technologies that will strengthen the supply chain and boost the economy in upcoming years.

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