Hornsea 3, the world’s largest offshore wind farm, is progressing in its construction with the connection of its first export cable between the seabed and the British coast. This step marks the tangible beginning of renewable energy transmission from the North Sea to millions of homes, consolidating Ørsted’s leadership in the development of large-scale green infrastructure.
Engineering from the Netherlands to the North Sea
From the port of Vlissingen, in the Netherlands, the first of the metallic structures, known as jackets, which support the offshore converter stations, departed. With a height of 54 meters and weighing 3,500 tons, this piece was designed to withstand extreme conditions and house one of the stations responsible for transforming energy from the offshore wind turbines.
The transfer and installation of this structure involved months of meticulous planning and precise technical execution, demonstrating the logistical complexity of the project.
Converter Station Arrives from Asia
After traveling more than 13,000 nautical miles from Thailand to Norway, the top part of the converter station was conditioned and sent to the North Sea for coupling with the already installed jacket. Once this fusion is complete, Hornsea 3 will be able to begin converting the wind energy collected offshore for efficient transmission to land.
A 680 km cable for 3.3 million homes
In parallel, the installation and connection of the first subsea export cable was successfully completed. This underwater line, designed to transport renewable energy from the offshore stations to the onshore infrastructure, was joined with its counterpart on land. A total of 680 kilometers of cable are expected to be installed during 2026, facilitating reliable distribution of clean electricity to more than 3.3 million British homes.
The installation of these cables is carried out by Jan De Nul Group, while companies such as Hitachi Energy, Aibel, and Heerema Fabrication Group participate in the manufacturing and assembly of the converter stations and structures.
Energy Impact and International Cooperation
Hornsea 3 not only reinforces the UK’s renewable capacity but also represents an advance in Europe’s energy security. The project, valued at £8.5 billion, positions Ørsted as a central player in the global energy transition.
Headquartered in Denmark, Ørsted manages an installed renewable capacity exceeding 18 GW globally, and continues to expand its footprint in Asia Pacific, North America, and Europe. The company maintains its vision of operating in a world fully powered by green energy, and Hornsea 3 is a key piece to achieving that goal.
Source: Ørsted via LinkedIn