The United Kingdom is set to become home to some of Europe’s largest offshore wind farms, with contracts now secured to build the continent’s largest and second-largest projects. In total, nine offshore developments have been approved this month, marking a sharp increase from the same period last year when no energy companies were willing to embark on offshore wind farm construction off the U.K. coast.
These new developments are part of a record-setting day for the British renewable energy sector, with 131 contracts awarded for clean power projects across the nation. Together, these initiatives are expected to generate nearly 10 gigawatts of electricity — enough to power more than seven million homes.
However, this surge in renewable energy capacity comes at a time when the nation is grappling with issues related to its existing clean power infrastructure. The world’s largest offshore wind farm, located along the English coast, has recently experienced its second blade failure this year.
The turbine’s manufacturer, GE Vernova, has attributed the problem to issues in the commission process. These incidents, occurring both in the U.K. and globally, have sparked concerns about the durability and reliability of offshore wind projects.
