As the UK marks 25 years of offshore wind, Ørsted is celebrating the people, projects, and partnerships that have made the West Coast a cornerstone of Britain’s clean energy transition. Our Irish Sea portfolio spans Barrow, Burbo Bank, Burbo Bank Extension, Walney (Walney 1 and 2), Walney Extension (Walney 3 and 4), and West of Duddon Sands, collectively helping to power UK homes and businesses while supporting local jobs and supply chains.

Walney Extension was inaugurated on 6 September 2018 and, at the time, became the world’s largest offshore wind farm, generating renewable electricity for nearly 600,000 UK homes. On the northern edge of the portfolio, West of Duddon Sands sits approximately 14 km off the West Coast and has a capacity of 389 MW. At Barrow, Ørsted Operations took over the operations and maintenance on 1 January 2020 - continuing to bring world-class operational excellence to one of the region’s pioneering wind farms.

Today, over 400 people work across Ørsted’s West Coast operations– from turbine technicians and marine specialists to data analysts and apprentices. Ørsted’s workforce in the West spans 109 different job roles, with almost 50% working as wind turbine technicians carrying out world-class offshore operations and maintenance. With over 85% of Ørsted’s west coast team living within an hour of their base, it shows just how deeply the industry is rooted in the local community.

Ørsted’s commitment goes beyond generation. Through the Burbo Bank and Walney Extension Community Benefit Funds, nearly £2.75 million, each year, has been allocated to local projects across the region, including Action for Children’s Furness Child Contact Centre, Furness Education & Skills Partnership, People First Merseyside, and West Rhyl Young People’s Project - delivering lasting social impact in the communities closest to our wind farms.

Today, Ørsted is the UK’s leading offshore wind developer, operating more than 5 GW of offshore wind capacity with more in development, including Hornsea 3. Across the West Coast, our teams and partners continue to innovate and perform in challenging conditions - keeping turbines online and electricity flowing when the UK needs it most.

Paul Corkill, interim Head of Generation for UK West, who played a pivotal role in Barrow - the site of our first windfarm - turning 20 next year said:
“Twenty-five years of UK offshore wind is a milestone built by communities, suppliers, and our dedicated teams on the West Coast. I’m proud to have been part of the industry for 21 years now. From the early days at Barrow to the scale of Walney Extension, we’re proud of what this region has delivered - and excited for what comes next.”