The Hornsea 2 offshore wind farm, developed by Ørsted, is the largest windfarm in the world. It’s located in the North Sea off the coast of Yorkshire in the UK and has a renewable energy production capacity of 1.3 GW. It consists of 165 wind turbines that will generate renewable energy to power over 1.4 million homes.
In addition to its impressive size, Hornsea 2 also contributes to the UK’s transition to a low-carbon economy and helps the country meet its climate change targets. The wind farm is located alongside Hornsea 1, which together can provide electricity for 2.5 million homes and make a significant contribution to the UK’s goal of having 50 GW of offshore wind in operation by 2030.
The Hornsea zone, a 2,000 km2 area in the North Sea, is also set to include Hornsea 3, a 2.8 GW project awarded a contract for difference from the UK government earlier this year. Hornsea 2 has played a vital role in the development of the UK’s offshore wind supply chain, with Ørsted investing GBP 4.5 billion in the past five years alone and expecting to make an additional GBP 8.6 billion in the next decade.
Hornsea 2 is just one of Ørsted’s 13 operational offshore wind farms in the UK, which provide a total of 6.2 GW of renewable electricity – enough to power more than 7 million homes. The company’s global goal is to install 30 GW of offshore wind by 2030, and Hornsea 2 is a significant step towards achieving this target. Ørsted currently has approximately 8.9 GW of offshore wind in operation, approximately 2.2 GW under construction, and another approximately 11 GW of awarded capacity under development, including Hornsea 3.
Not only will Hornsea 2 provide clean energy for millions of UK homes, it has also created thousands of jobs and generated billions of pounds in investment for the country’s offshore wind supply chain. Ørsted looks forward to continuing to work with the government and industry partners to increase the deployment of offshore wind for the benefit of homes and businesses across the UK.
