UK plans for next generation of floating windfarms

The Crown Estate

The UK has cemented its place at the forefront of the global offshore wind market with some of the world’s most experienced offshore wind developers being selected to deliver 2 new floating windfarms off the coasts of Wales and South West England.

The news follows a process to award rights to deliver up to 4.5 GW of secure, renewable energy – enough to power more than 4 million homes. The Crown Estate will ensure the delivery of the full potential capacity through the deployment of a 3rd site. Work is underway on a range of options to deliver this, and The Crown Estate expects to set out next steps by the end of September 2025.
The new windfarms will be among the largest of their kind in the world, underlining the UK’s position as the leading market for floating offshore wind in Europe and expected to lead to the creation of thousands of new jobs and more than a billion-pound investment in the UK economy. This is expected to be the 1st phase of a new industry in the Celtic Sea, with The Crown Estate identifying the potential for a further 4-10 GW to be brought to market by the end of the decade.

Next-gen wind technology

Floating offshore wind is a new technology which enables turbines to be located in deeper waters than is possible with fixed-base windfarms, unlocking new areas of seabed such as the Celtic Sea for the generation of secure, renewable energy.

Floating offshore wind projects require extensive use of composite materials, particularly in turbine blades, floating platforms and structural components exposed to marine environments.

The news follows details from The Crown Estate – which manages the seabed around England, Wales and Northern Ireland – of a £400 million investment in the UK’s offshore wind supply chain, with a particular focus on enabling infrastructure.

A new chapter for UK offshore wind

The selection of Equinor and Gwynt Glas – a joint venture between EDF Renewables UK and ESB – on 12 June as preferred bidders to deliver the new floating windfarms follows the conclusion of the latest leasing round by The Crown Estate, and is a significant vote of confidence in the UK’s world-leading offshore energy market at a time of global volatility and uncertainty for the sector.  

The developers bring with them significant expertise and experience in the delivery of offshore wind projects around the world, including new floating technology. Their selection will help build the UK’s capabilities in this emerging industry, which is set to play an important long-term role in delivering clean, secure energy. 

Launched at the start of 2024, a core focus of Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5 has been to open up a new region of the UK for the generation of more secure, clean energy, while kick-starting the development of a new industry and supply chain around the Celtic Sea. 

Research published last year showed that Round 5 could support the creation of 5,300 new jobs and deliver a £1.4 billion boost to the UK economy. 

The auction marks the culmination of a significant programme of stakeholder engagement and steps taken by The Crown Estate to create an attractive opportunity for offshore wind developers. This includes establishing a new strategic approach with Neso to make the new windfarms the first to come to market with an agreed plan for connecting them to the UK’s energy grid.

Crown Estate details £400 million supply chain investment

In a further boost to the UK’s offshore wind industry, The Crown Estate has set out new details of its plans to invest up to £400 million of capital in the supply chain for projects across the country. 

The move builds on new investment powers conferred by the Crown Estate Act 2025 and is expected to see The Crown Estate working in partnership to invest in the construction of port and supply chain infrastructure that will support the delivery of offshore wind projects across the UK.  

New opportunities for apprenticeships and port development

The new floating windfarms are expected to unlock a range of new opportunities for skills, apprenticeships and employment, as well as investment in new port infrastructure. 

The preferred bidders are committed to ensuring that at least 3.5% of the workforce consists of apprenticeships and that a minimum of 10% of employees aged 19-24 are not currently in education, employment or training. As part of their submissions to The Crown Estate, the bidders also set out further plans for creating new on-shore opportunities. 

The Round 5 process also asked bidders to set out their plans for working with ports to support the final assembly of their projects, with specialist infrastructure needed to mount the turbines on floating platforms before being towed out to the final project sites. As part of their submissions, the preferred bidders have identified Port Talbot and Bristol ports as the likely locations for this activity.

about Gwynt Glass

Gwynt Glas is a 50:50 joint venture between EDF Renewables UK and ESB. The partnership is also working with DP Energy’s Pembrokeshire based team, an exclusive development partner in the project, to leverage their deep knowledge of local stakeholders and continuing work with educational institutions to promote skills and economic opportunities in Wales.

about Equinor

Equinor is an international energy company committed to long-term value creation in a low-carbon future. Equinor has been a reliable energy partner to the UK for over 40 years, providing a stable supply of oil and gas, developing the UK’s offshore wind industry and pioneering solutions to decarbonise the UK economy.