The UK’s largest fully operational offshore wind farm is Hornsea 2, located in the North Sea approximately 89 kilometres off the Yorkshire coast. It has an installed capacity of 1,320 megawatts (MW) and consists of 165 wind turbines. Hornsea 1 and Scotland’s Seagreen wind farm complete the top three.
However, the rankings are set to change as several much larger developments are completed. Dogger Bank is being developed with a combined capacity of approximately 3.6 gigawatts (GW), while Hornsea 3 and Sofia will add substantial offshore wind capacity when fully operational.
Below, we’ll look at the ten largest operational offshore wind farms in the UK, where they’re located and how much electricity they can generate.
What are the 10 largest offshore wind farms in the UK?
The following ranking is based on installed capacity and the operational status recorded in the UK government’s July 2026 Renewable Energy Planning Database (REPD).
| Rank | Offshore wind farm | Capacity | Turbines | Location |
| 1 | Hornsea 2 | 1,320 MW | 165 | North Sea, Yorkshire |
| 2 | Hornsea 1 | 1,218 MW | 174 | North Sea, Yorkshire |
| 3 | Seagreen | 1,075 MW | 114 | North Sea, Scotland |
| 4 | Moray East | 950 MW | 100 | Moray Firth, Scotland |
| 5 | Moray West | 882 MW | 60 | Moray Firth, Scotland |
| 6 | Triton Knoll | 857 MW | 90 | North Sea, Lincolnshire |
| 7 | East Anglia One | 714 MW | 102 | North Sea, Suffolk |
| 8 | Walney Extension | 659 MW | 87 | Irish Sea, Cumbria |
| 9 | London Array | 630 MW | 175 | Thames Estuary, Kent |
| 10 | Beatrice | 588 MW | 84 | Moray Firth, Scotland |
Source: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Renewable Energy Planning Database, July 2026. Individual capacity figures may differ slightly between government datasets and developer publications.
This ranking includes wind farms recorded as fully operational, rather than projects where only some turbines are generating electricity.
1. Hornsea 2 — 1,320 MW
Location: North Sea, approximately 89km off the Yorkshire coast
Number of turbines: 165
Fully operational: 2022
Operator: Ørsted
Hornsea 2 is currently the UK’s largest fully operational offshore wind farm in the government’s July 2026 database.
The wind farm covers approximately 462 square kilometres of the North Sea and has 165 Siemens Gamesa wind turbines, each with a rated capacity of 8MW.
Hornsea 2 became fully operational in August 2022, taking over the title of the world’s largest operating offshore wind farm at the time.
Its turbines are connected to offshore substations, which collect the electricity and transmit it towards the mainland through subsea cables.
The project is part of the wider Hornsea development area, which also includes Hornsea 1 and the much larger Hornsea 3 project currently under construction.
Together, these developments demonstrate how offshore wind farms have grown from relatively small installations into major electricity-generating facilities.
2. Hornsea 1 — 1,218 MW
Location: North Sea, more than 100km off Yorkshire
Number of turbines: 174
Fully operational: 2019
Operator: Ørsted
Hornsea 1 was the world’s first offshore wind farm to exceed one gigawatt of installed capacity.
When it became fully operational in 2019, it was also the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
The project has 174 turbines, each rated at 7MW, spread across an extensive area of the North Sea.
Its location more than 100 kilometres from shore makes it considerably farther offshore than many earlier UK wind farms.
Building at this distance requires substantial infrastructure, including offshore substations, long export cables and specialised maintenance operations.
Although Hornsea 1 has since been overtaken by Hornsea 2, it remains one of the UK’s most significant offshore wind developments.
3. Seagreen — 1,075 MW
Location: North Sea, approximately 27km off Angus, Scotland
Number of turbines: 114
Fully operational: 2023
Operator: SSE Renewables
Seagreen is Scotland’s largest fully operational offshore wind farm.
The project was developed by SSE Renewables and TotalEnergies and became fully operational in October 2023.
It uses 114 Vestas turbines with a rated output of 10MW each. Although the project is frequently described as a 1.1GW wind farm, the government’s planning database records a capacity of 1,075MW.
Seagreen is particularly notable for the depth of its foundations.
One turbine foundation was installed in water approximately 58.7 metres deep, setting a record for fixed-bottom offshore wind installations.
This illustrates how advances in engineering are allowing offshore wind farms to be built in deeper waters, expanding the number of suitable locations around the UK coastline.
4. Moray East — 950 MW
Location: Moray Firth, north-east Scotland
Number of turbines: 100
Fully operational: 2022
Operator: Ocean Winds
Moray East is a 950MW offshore wind farm located in the Moray Firth.
It consists of 100 turbines, each with a rated capacity of 9.5MW.
The project reached full generating capacity in 2022 and was developed by Moray Offshore Renewables, now part of Ocean Winds.
Moray East was also significant for the UK’s offshore wind industry because of the competitive electricity-generation price secured through the Contracts for Difference scheme.
This government-backed mechanism helps provide revenue certainty for qualifying renewable electricity projects.
Moray East was subsequently joined by Moray West, creating a substantial concentration of offshore wind capacity off Scotland’s north-east coast.
5. Moray West — 882 MW
Location: Moray Firth, Scotland
Number of turbines: 60
Fully operational: 2025
Operator: Ocean Winds
Moray West became fully operational in April 2025, adding another 882MW of offshore wind capacity to Scotland’s electricity system.
The wind farm uses 60 Siemens Gamesa turbines, each rated at 14.7MW.
These turbines are considerably more powerful than those installed at many earlier offshore wind farms.
As a result, Moray West generates more installed capacity with fewer turbines than several older projects in the top ten.
The project is located approximately 22 kilometres from the Caithness coastline.
Its construction involved major Scottish port facilities, including the Port of Nigg and Port of Cromarty Firth, while operations are supported from Buckie.
Moray West demonstrates the increasing importance of larger turbines in expanding offshore wind capacity.
6. Triton Knoll — 857 MW
Location: North Sea, approximately 32km off Lincolnshire
Number of turbines: 90
Fully operational: 2022
Operator: RWE
Triton Knoll is an 857MW offshore wind farm located off the east coast of England.
Its 90 turbines were fully commissioned in January 2022.
The wind farm was developed by RWE, which continues to operate the project on behalf of its ownership partners.
Triton Knoll’s electricity is carried ashore through subsea cables before travelling through onshore transmission infrastructure to reach the national electricity network.
The project also contributed to the development of offshore wind operations around Grimsby, which has become an important maintenance and logistics centre for North Sea wind farms.
Despite having fewer turbines than Hornsea 1, Triton Knoll remains one of the UK’s largest operational offshore wind projects.
7. East Anglia One — 714 MW
Location: North Sea, off the Suffolk coast
Number of turbines: 102
Fully operational: 2020
Operator: ScottishPower Renewables
East Anglia One is a 714MW offshore wind farm located approximately 43 kilometres off the Suffolk coast.
The project consists of 102 Siemens Gamesa turbines and became fully operational in 2020.
It was developed by ScottishPower Renewables and forms part of a wider programme of offshore wind development in the East Anglia region.
The wind farm’s electricity is transmitted to shore through subsea cables before entering the onshore transmission network.
The East Anglia area is expected to accommodate additional large offshore wind projects, making it another important centre for renewable electricity generation.
East Anglia One illustrates how the UK’s offshore wind industry has expanded beyond the Humber and Yorkshire coast into other areas of the southern North Sea.
8. Walney Extension — 659 MW
Location: Irish Sea, approximately 19km off Cumbria
Number of turbines: 87
Fully operational: 2018
Operator: Ørsted
Walney Extension is one of the UK’s largest offshore wind farms outside the North Sea.
Located off the Cumbrian coast in the Irish Sea, it has an installed capacity of 659MW.
The project uses 87 turbines of two different designs: 47 Siemens Gamesa turbines and 40 MHI Vestas turbines.
Walney Extension became fully operational in 2018 and was briefly the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
It sits alongside the earlier Walney 1 and Walney 2 developments, which together contribute further offshore wind capacity.
The concentration of wind farms in this area reflects the favourable wind conditions and established offshore infrastructure of the Irish Sea.
Walney Extension is also a useful example of how turbine technology developed rapidly during the 2010s.
9. London Array — 630 MW
Location: Outer Thames Estuary, approximately 20km off Kent
Number of turbines: 175
Fully operational: 2013
Operator: London Array Limited
London Array is one of the UK’s best-known offshore wind farms.
When it opened in 2013, it was the largest offshore wind farm in the world.
It has 175 turbines, each rated at 3.6MW, giving it a total capacity of 630MW.
The wind farm covers approximately 100 square kilometres of the Thames Estuary and is operated and maintained from Ramsgate.
London Array is particularly interesting when compared with newer projects.
Despite having more turbines than Hornsea 2, its installed capacity is less than half as large.
This difference shows how much offshore turbine technology has advanced. Modern turbines can generate several times the rated output of those installed in earlier developments.
10. Beatrice — 588 MW
Location: Moray Firth, approximately 13km off Caithness
Number of turbines: 84
Fully operational: 2019
Operator: SSE Renewables
Beatrice is a 588MW offshore wind farm located off Scotland’s north-east coast.
It consists of 84 turbines rated at 7MW each and became fully operational in 2019.
The project was developed by a partnership led by SSE Renewables.
At the time of its opening, Beatrice was Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm, although it has since been overtaken by Seagreen, Moray East and Moray West.
Beatrice is operated and maintained from Wick Harbour, where the development supported substantial investment in local port infrastructure.
Like several other Scottish offshore projects, it uses jacket foundations to support its turbines in relatively deep water.
Which offshore wind farms are currently being built in the UK?
Several projects under construction are larger than the wind farms in the operational top ten.
Some have already started generating electricity, but this doesn’t necessarily mean the entire development has been completed.
Dogger Bank — 3,600 MW
Dogger Bank is being developed approximately 130 kilometres off the north-east coast of England.
Once complete, the project is expected to have a combined installed capacity of around 3.6GW, making it substantially larger than Hornsea 2.
It consists of three phases:
| Phase | Planned capacity | Status |
| Dogger Bank A | Approximately 1,200 MW | Generating electricity; construction and commissioning activity continuing |
| Dogger Bank B | Approximately 1,200 MW | Turbine installation underway |
| Dogger Bank C | Approximately 1,200 MW | Under construction |
Dogger Bank first generated electricity in October 2023.
The development uses GE Vernova Haliade-X turbines, which are considerably larger than the turbines installed at most operational UK wind farms.
The project is being developed by SSE Renewables, Equinor and Vårgrønn.
Once all three phases are completed, Dogger Bank is expected to become one of the largest offshore wind developments in the world.
However, its full 3.6GW capacity shouldn’t be included in a ranking of currently completed wind farms.
Hornsea 3 — 2,758 MW
Hornsea 3 is another major North Sea project being developed by Ørsted.
The company’s published project specifications list an overall capacity of approximately 2,758MW, with 197 turbines rated at 14MW each.
The project is located off the east coast of England and forms part of the wider Hornsea offshore wind development area.
Construction work was continuing during 2026, including work on cable infrastructure and onshore facilities.
Ørsted currently lists an expected commercial operational date of 2027.
Once fully operational, Hornsea 3 will have more than twice the installed capacity of Hornsea 1 and significantly more capacity than the current operational leader, Hornsea 2.
Sofia — 1,400 MW
Sofia is a 1.4GW offshore wind farm being developed by RWE on Dogger Bank in the North Sea.
The project has 100 Siemens Gamesa turbines, each rated at 14MW.
All 100 turbines were installed by June 2026, marking a major construction milestone.
However, installing the turbines isn’t the same as completing the wind farm.
The remaining work includes testing, commissioning and bringing the electrical systems and turbines into full operation.
Sofia began generating electricity during 2026, with commissioning planned to continue through the latter part of the year.
At full capacity, Sofia will be larger than Hornsea 2, but it is excluded from the operational top ten until its full operational status is confirmed.
Berwick Bank — up to 4,100 MW
Berwick Bank is a planned offshore wind development in the outer Firth of Forth, approximately 38 kilometres from the Scottish Borders coast.
The project received consent from the Scottish Government in July 2025.
If delivered in full, it could have an installed capacity of up to 4.1GW, making it larger than Dogger Bank.
In January 2026, one phase, Berwick Bank B, secured a Contract for Difference covering approximately 1.4GW of capacity.
However, Berwick Bank remains a development project rather than an operational wind farm.
The developer must still progress investment decisions, construction planning and other requirements before the full project can be delivered.
It therefore shouldn’t be included in current operational capacity rankings.
How is the size of an offshore wind farm measured?
Offshore wind farms are usually ranked by their installed generating capacity, measured in megawatts (MW) or gigawatts (GW).
One gigawatt is equal to 1,000 megawatts.
For example, a wind farm with 100 turbines rated at 10MW each would have a total installed capacity of 1,000MW, or 1GW.
However, installed capacity doesn’t mean the wind farm produces that amount of electricity continuously.
Electricity generation varies according to wind speed, turbine availability, maintenance and operational restrictions.
The amount of electricity produced over time is measured in megawatt-hours (MWh) or gigawatt-hours (GWh).
This distinction also matters when comparing the number of homes a wind farm can supply.
Developer estimates generally use expected annual electricity generation and assumed household consumption. They don’t mean the wind farm is physically connected to those households individually.
For the rankings in this article, installed capacity provides a consistent way to compare projects of different ages and sizes.
Why are so many of the UK’s largest offshore wind farms in the North Sea?
The North Sea offers several geographical and practical advantages for offshore wind development.
Firstly, many areas experience strong and relatively consistent winds, making them attractive locations for electricity generation.
Secondly, parts of the seabed provide suitable conditions for fixed-bottom turbine foundations. These allow turbines to be secured directly to the seabed rather than requiring floating platforms.
The North Sea also provides extensive offshore areas where large projects can be developed, subject to environmental, navigation and other restrictions.
Finally, established ports and electricity infrastructure along the east coast support construction and maintenance.
Ports including Grimsby, Hull and Nigg have played important roles in developing the industry.
However, offshore wind farms also face challenges, including the cost of subsea cables, grid connections, marine environmental impacts and the logistical difficulties of working far from shore.
The UK has substantial offshore wind capacity in the Irish Sea and other waters as well, although many of its largest individual projects are concentrated in the North Sea.
For a broader overview of wind farms across the UK, including onshore locations, the national picture extends well beyond these ten offshore developments.
Frequently asked questions
What is the largest offshore wind farm in the UK?
Hornsea 2 is the largest fully operational offshore wind farm in the July 2026 UK Renewable Energy Planning Database, with a capacity of 1,320MW. Larger projects, including Dogger Bank, are under construction or commissioning.
What will be the largest offshore wind farm in the UK?
Dogger Bank is being developed with approximately 3.6GW of capacity across three phases. The proposed Berwick Bank development could eventually reach 4.1GW if completed in full.
What is Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm?
Seagreen is Scotland’s largest fully operational offshore wind farm, with a capacity recorded as 1,075MW in the government’s July 2026 database. Its developer commonly describes the project as a 1.1GW wind farm.
How many offshore wind farms are there in the UK?
The July 2026 Renewable Energy Planning Database records 49 operational offshore wind project entries with approximately 16GW of capacity. The number can vary depending on whether separate project phases and extensions are counted individually.
How many turbines does the UK’s largest offshore wind farm have?
Hornsea 2 has 165 turbines. However, some smaller wind farms have more turbines because their individual turbines generate less power. London Array, for example, has 175 turbines but less than half Hornsea 2’s total capacity.
Are offshore wind farms more powerful than onshore wind farms?
Individual offshore turbines are often larger and more powerful than onshore turbines because offshore locations can accommodate larger equipment and generally have stronger wind resources. However, actual electricity generation still depends on wind conditions and turbine availability.
Sources
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Renewable Energy Planning Database: Quarterly Extract (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/renewable-energy-planning-database-quarterly-extract)
Ørsted, Our Offshore Wind Farms (https://orsted.com/en/offshore-wind/our-offshore-wind-farms)
SSE Renewables, Scotland’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm Now Fully Operational (https://www.sserenewables.com/news-and-views/2023/10/scotland-s-largest-offshore-wind-farm-now-fully-operational/)
Moray East, Project Overview (https://www.morayeast.com/project)
Offshore Wind Scotland, Moray West Becomes Fully Operational (https://www.offshorewindscotland.org.uk/news/2025/april/24/moray-west-becomes-fully-operational/)
RWE, Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm (https://www.rwe.com/en/investor-relations/financial-calendar-and-publications/news-and-ad-hoc-announcements/news/news-2023-12-05/)
ScottishPower Renewables, East Anglia Offshore Wind Projects (https://www.scottishpowerrenewables.com/offshore/east-anglia)
London Array, Project Information (https://londonarray.com/)
SSE Renewables, Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm (https://www.sserenewables.com/offshore-wind/operational-wind-farms/beatrice/)
Dogger Bank Wind Farm, Construction Updates (https://doggerbank.com/construction/)
RWE, Sofia Offshore Construction (https://sofiawindfarm.com/offshore-construction/)
SSE, Berwick Bank Project Update (https://www.sse.com/news-and-views/2026/01/sse-secures-cfd-for-berwick-bank-wind-farm/)
Accurate as of: 3 November 2026