Floating wind could offer China a gateway into Europe’s fast-growing offshore wind market – but do developers want its technology?
Encompassing around 66 by 59 metres with 30-50 metre drafts, floating wind installations tend to be mammoth. They enable wind turbines to access the more consistent wind speeds found in deeper seawater (beyond 60 metres) that fixed-bottom structures can’t – yet – reach.
Floating wind power offers an immense opportunity: it’s predicted 2,500MW could be generated by 2030 – enough to power approximately 1.8 to 2.5 million homes. But today, it’s still fledgling; in January, the UK awarded long-term Contracts for Difference (CfDs) to two pilot projects that will boost the existing 277MW in operation globally for floating installations: the 100MW Erebus in the Celtic Sea and the 92.5MW Pentland off the coast of Scotland. The 560MW Green Volt project, also off Scotland, was awarded the same in 2024. If built it will be the biggest floating wind farm to date.
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