The UK’s East Anglia THREE Wind Farm Is a Record-Breaking Beast

Off the coast of England, a renewable energy titan is taking shape. ScottishPower has begun offshore construction of its £4 billion East Anglia THREE wind farm—and it’s already smashing records. The first foundation installed, a staggering monopile measuring 83.89 meters tall and 10.6 meters in diameter, weighs in at 1,800 metric tons. It’s now the largest monopile ever installed from a jack-up vessel in Europe.

Gigantic Foundations, Massive Power

East Anglia THREE will eventually host 95 of these colossal monopiles, each ranging from 67 to 85 meters in length and supporting Siemens Gamesa’s 14.7 MW turbines. When fully operational in early 2026, the wind farm will generate 1,400 MW of clean energy—enough to power more than 1.3 million UK homes. The sheer scale of the project cements its place as the largest in Iberdrola’s global portfolio and the second-largest offshore wind farm worldwide.

“This isn’t just another wind farm—it’s a statement of ambition. The engineering behind these foundations pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in offshore renewables.”

Manufacturing Muscle and Custom Engineering

The monopiles themselves are a feat of industrial collaboration. Spanish firms Navantia Seanergies Windar Renovables and Haizea are manufacturing the 45 and 50 units, respectively, while the first transition piece—a 20-meter-tall, 400-ton connector—has already been installed. Seaway7, the contractor handling installation, deployed its Seaway Ventus jack-up vessel, outfitted with custom-built mission equipment developed in under two years specifically for this project.

A Renewable Powerhouse in the Making

Beyond its sheer output, East Anglia THREE represents a critical step in the UK’s renewable energy transition, creating jobs and advancing national clean energy targets. Meanwhile, Germany’s EnBW He Dreiht—the country’s largest offshore wind farm—has also hit a milestone with its first turbine installation, signaling Europe’s accelerating shift toward offshore wind dominance.

For deeper industry insights, Energy Global’s Spring 2025 issue explores topics like overseas expansion strategies and the curious phenomenon of negative electricity prices in Europe. But for now, all eyes are on the North Sea, where East Anglia THREE’s steel giants are rising from the waves.