The project hopes to address a gap in the UK offshore wind sector
The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) has begun an 18-month project to advance its proposed deepwater and floating wind test facility, DeepWind
Backed by 50% match funding through The Crown Estate’s Supply Chain Accelerator, the programme will expand on EMEC’s earlier concept design for a national floating wind test site.
Developers are seeking a representative environment to prove, refine, and de-risk technologies before full commercial deployment as UK offshore wind projects scale into deeper waters. However, current test sites across Europe are lacking the necessary metocean conditions for the offshore wind projects in the UK’s pipeline.
To address this issue, EMEC has identified a site 20km west of Orkney with ideal water depths, seabed conditions, and wind speeds.
The £500,000 project will complete feasibility, design scoping, and industry engagement to confirm site infrastructure requirements, considering logistical and operational needs to ensure connectivity to ports and alignment with the UK offshore wind ecosystem. EMEC will also progress environmental scoping and early-stage survey work at the prospective site, including bathymetry, sub-bottom profiling, and ornithological/marine mammal monitoring.
By providing a pathway for deepwater and floating wind innovation, the DeepWind test site could help attract investment and reinforce the UK’s position in offshore wind innovation.
Mark Hamilton, operations and technology director, said, “The Crown Estate’s Accelerator funding enables us to move decisively from concept to delivery planning for our deepwater wind test site. During the project, we aim to progress leasing and grid-connection applications and will initiate some of the longest-lead environmental studies, moving us towards full consenting and Front-End Engineering Design.
Hamilton added, “The key outcome will be a robust investment case for phased development of the test site. We will be running a series of engagement exercises over the coming months to gather insight from developers, OEMs, insurers, investors, regulators, and community groups, and I encourage interested parties to get in touch with us for more details on how they can help shape the future of UK offshore wind testing.”
