EDF inaugurates 450 MW offshore wind farm in Scotland

The Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm, with a capacity of 450 megawatts, comes online off the coast of Scotland, mobilising GBP200 mn ($259 mn) in public and private investment for the region.

Share:

The Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm, located 15.5 kilometres off the Fife coast, has just entered service. Equipped with 54 wind turbines, it has a total capacity of 450 megawatts, enough to meet the electricity needs of nearly 375,000 households. This project ranks among the most significant in the Scottish offshore wind sector, with the First Minister of Scotland attending the official inauguration in Eyemouth.

A structuring investment for the offshore sector

Neart na Gaoithe (“Force of the Wind” in Scottish Gaelic) is the result of a joint venture between EDF power solutions UK and Ireland and ESB, Ireland’s leading energy company. The total investment exceeds GBP200 mn ($259 mn), benefiting more than fifty local suppliers during the construction phase. According to project partners, this operation strengthens the industrial chain and positions Scotland as a key area in the offshore market.

The operations and maintenance base for the wind farm, operational since January 2023 in Eyemouth, currently provides fifty skilled jobs. This site is designed to support the operation of the wind farm for twenty-five years and to deliver long-term economic benefits for the town and the region.

Regional benefits and community support

Since the project’s launch, more than twenty-five organisations from the east coast of Scotland have benefited from partnerships and sponsorships. A community fund, announced for the end of the summer, will support the municipalities closest to the wind farm and its onshore substation. Project stakeholders highlight the mobilisation of local companies, such as Briggs Marine and Muir Construction Ltd, in the delivery of key infrastructure.

The construction of the wind farm required the coordination of advanced technical skills and the management of demanding weather conditions. This work enabled several Scottish companies to integrate into the offshore wind supply chain, thereby supporting the local and regional economy.

Outlook and industrial challenges

The operation of Neart na Gaoithe over a period of twenty-five years is expected to maintain the jobs created and consolidate the expertise developed. The companies involved in this project have stated their intention to strengthen their presence in the offshore sector in the United Kingdom and Ireland, while continuing to promote local actors. Monitoring of the wind farm’s performance and its economic impact will be carried out by stakeholders throughout the announced operational period.

DP Energy plans to build a 1,400 MW wind farm near Julia Creek, supported by an energy storage system, enhancing industrial momentum and supply prospects in northern Queensland.
Equinor announces a significant impairment on its offshore wind project Empire Wind, due to regulatory changes and tariffs, affecting its quarterly results.
Shandong Electric Power Construction Corporation No. 3 (SEPCO3) has signed an EPC contract for the construction of the 700 MW Yanbu wind energy project under Saudi Arabia's National Renewable Energy Program.
RWE has inaugurated the Mondonuovo wind farm in Italy, a 53.1 MW facility capable of powering 55,000 Italian households. This project marks a key milestone in the development of renewable energy in Italy.
Swiss company Wysenergy has secured public funding for its first wind project in France, located in the municipality of Faux-Fresnay and selected under the PPE2 tender scheme.
Energy supplier OVO plans to invest several hundred million pounds in the renovation of British wind farms, aiming to increase national capacity and accelerate the country’s energy transition.
bp has announced the sale of its US onshore wind operations to LS Power, strengthening the American group’s 21GW portfolio and continuing its global asset divestment strategy.
Dstgroup, through its subsidiary dstventures, invests €1.5mn ($1.62mn) in Gazelle Wind Power and commits to building the structures for the Nau Azul project, marking progress for the floating wind industry in Portugal.
German group wpd takes over the teams and a portfolio of 17 wind projects from Calycé, consolidating its position in the French market and expanding its regional presence, particularly in the Grand Est, with the support of Envinergy.
SPIE Wind Connect partners with Van Oord to connect and test 21 high-voltage cables for the Windanker offshore wind farm, marking a key milestone in the development of Germany’s offshore wind sector.
Envision Energy and FERA Australia announce an agreement to develop up to 1 GW of wind and 1.5 GWh of storage on the Australian market, laying the foundation for a new hybrid power plant model.
German group RWE has completed installation of all 100 monopile foundations at Sofia, a 1.4 GW offshore wind farm located 195 kilometres from the British coast, marking a major step in the construction of the project.
Greece’s wind sector reaches a new milestone with 5.5 GW installed, driven by 37 new turbines and €180 mn in investments during the first half of 2025, according to ELETAEN.
Nomura Real Estate has signed a power purchase agreement for its new Tokyo headquarters with wpd and GPSS Group, supplying the Higashi Izu Furusato wind project with a capacity of 7.48 MW.
Energiequelle completes the commissioning of two Enercon E-160 turbines in Raßlitz, replacing previous models and increasing the installed capacity of the Saxony site more than fivefold.
Ørsted has completed a $2.75bn project financing with 25 banks and five export credit agencies for the 632 MW Greater Changhua 2 offshore wind farm in Taiwan, strengthening its industrial partnership strategy. —
Masdar and Iberdrola announce a joint investment of €5.2 billion in the East Anglia THREE offshore wind farm in the United Kingdom and full commissioning of the German Baltic Eagle project (476 MW).
Energiekontor AG has secured contracts for four wind projects with a total capacity of 125 megawatts, following the Federal Network Agency's May 2025 tender in Germany.
Ecopetrol S.A. finalises the acquisition of Wind Autogeneración from Enel S.A.S., thereby taking over the Windpeshi wind project in Colombia, with a planned capacity of 205 MW, aimed at the Colombian oil group's energy self-consumption.
Oceanic Wind Energy Inc. and Coast Tsimshian Enterprises Ltd. secured an exclusive investigative use permit in the Hecate Strait, paving the way for Canada's first major offshore wind project, targeting capacity of up to 700 MW.