Blyth offshore wind farm marks 25-year milestone
December 8, 2025
UK’s first offshore wind farm marks milestone
PA MediaThe “critical role” played by the UK’s first offshore wind farm has been celebrated 25 years after it was built.
The first turbines were erected at the site in Blyth, Northumberland, in December 2000, with the sector having since become the second largest power source in the country after gas.
Energy minister Michael Shanks marked the milestone with a visit to the site and said offshore wind was the “backbone” of the UK’s clean energy system.
“I don’t think anyone could’ve fully appreciated the critical role that offshore wind would play in the future,” he said.
He added switching on the first turbines at Blyth had marked a “hugely important moment”, putting the UK at the forefront of offshore energy.
According to analysis by energy think tank Ember, there are 47 operational offshore wind farms, supplying nearly a fifth (17%) of Britain’s electricity generation and employing about 40,000 people.
PA MediaFrankie Mayo, an analyst at Ember, said the engineering and innovation in British offshore wind should be “a real point of pride”.
He added: “With seabeds and wind speeds second-to-none for this kind of technology, Britain has truly led the world in showing its potential.”
Labour is pushing ahead with efforts to hit its target to remove almost all fossil fuels from the UK’s electricity supply by 2030.
On whether the government will achieve the goal, Shanks said: “Yes, full stop.”
He added there was momentum in the industry “to build big things and to do it faster”.
The Conservatives have previously said Labour’s “rush” to decarbonise the electricity system would push up electricity prices and cause more hardship for people across Britain.
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