World's Biggest Offshore Wind Farm Hornsea 1 Generates First Power

Hornsea 1 is located 120km off the Yorkshire Coast and will consist of 174 Siemens Gamesa 7MW turbines with a total capacity of 1,218 MW once the whole project is finished. To date, 172 out of 174 monopile foundations have been installed at the site, and turbine installation is expected to continue until late summer 2019. The wind farm is a joint venture between Ørsted, the global leader in offshore wind, and Global Infrastructure Partners and will power over one million homes in the UK.

Claire Perry, UK Energy & Clean Growth Minister said: “The UK renewables sector is thriving. Last year we saw the world's largest wind farm open off the coast of Cumbria, and today it’s joined by an even bigger one starting to produce power for the first time. British innovation is central to our modern Industrial Strategy and our upcoming sector deal will ensure UK offshore wind is a global leader as we transition to a greener, smarter energy future.”

Matthew Wright, UK Managing Director at Ørsted, said: “Hornsea 1 is the first of a new generation of offshore power plants that now rival the capacity of traditional fossil fuel power stations. The ability to generate clean electricity offshore at this scale is a globally significant milestone, at a time when urgent action needs to be taken to tackle climate change.

“Ten years ago, the thought of a project of this size was just a dream, but thanks to continued innovation, a determined effort from both the industry and supply chain to drive down costs, and the natural geographical benefits that surround us, the UK has positioned itself as a world-leader in offshore wind."