Hull workers build 115m blades for Hornsea 3, world’s largest offshore wind farm

The 115m blades – the largest ever made in the UK – are being built by Siemens Gamesa at Hull’s Alexandra Dock plant for Ørsted’s Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm

Massive blades destined to power wind turbines in the North Sea are now being manufactured by workers in Hull at Siemens Gamesa. Production for Ørsted’s Hornsea 3, the world’s largest single offshore wind farm, has commenced at the Alexandra Dock facility, which employs 1,400 people.

Each blade stretches 115m in length – marginally longer than a Premier League football pitch. Every 15MW turbine requires three blades and, once fully operational, Hornsea 3 will be capable of generating 2.9GW of clean energy – sufficient to power more than 3.3m UK homes.

It is the third instalment in Ørsted’s Hornsea Zone, following Hornsea 1 and 2, which together are capable of generating enough electricity for 2.5 million UK homes. Blades for those earlier farms were also produced in Hull.

The Hornsea region is overseen from Ørsted’s Royal Dock hub in Grimsby. The first of nearly 200 enormous foundations for the turbines comprising Hornsea 3 was positioned off the East Yorkshire coastline earlier this year.

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “This is what good growth in every postcode looks like – world-leading offshore wind blades built in Hull, powering clean homegrown electricity for millions of homes from off the coast of Yorkshire. As we tackle the root cause of high energy bills, our exposure to volatile international fossil fuel markets, we are determined that the homegrown power we build must deliver for Britain too: creating British jobs and backing British innovation in our communities.”, reports Hull Live.

Luke Bridgman, managing director, Hornsea 3 at Ørsted, said: “This is a proud milestone for the Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm and these massive blades reflect how offshore wind energy continues to develop. This impressive feat of engineering is another part of the jigsaw that will help to power the UK.”

Darren Davidson, UK vice president for Siemens Energy and Siemens Gamesa, said: “Projects like Hornsea 3 demonstrate the scale of industrial capability required to deliver the energy transition. At 115 metres, these are the largest blades ever manufactured in the UK, reflecting how far offshore wind technology has advanced in recent years.

“Producing them in Hull is the result of over 10 years of investment in facilities, people, and expertise, and shows how offshore wind can support skilled manufacturing jobs while strengthening the UK’s domestic supply chain.”