The “world’s biggest offshore wind farm,” as characterised by the Danish energy company Orsted, is now fully operational, and its 165 turbines are expected to supply electricity to more than 1.4 million homes in the United Kingdom.

The size of Hornsea 2, which is located about 89 kilometres (about 55 miles) off the coast of Yorkshire, England, is significant.

It is bigger than half the size of New York City, at 462 square kilometres and more than 1.3 gigawatts in capacity, according to Orsted. Siemens Gamesa turbines with blades measuring 81 metres, or more than 265 feet, are used at Hornsea 2, it was revealed.

According to the business, “one spin of the wind turbine blades can power an average UK home for 24 hours.”

It is the most recent development for the Hornsea 2 project, which began generating power in December 2021

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, European nations are attempting to wean themselves off Russian fossil products, notably gas.

The importance of significant renewable energy projects like Hornsea 2 in helping the UK improve the security and resilience of its energy supply and drive down costs for consumers by reducing reliance on pricey fossil fuels is highlighted by current global events more than ever, according to Duncan Clark, head of the U.K. region at Orsted.

The offshore wind industry in the United Kingdom is established and is expected to grow in the upcoming years, with authorities aiming for up to 50 GW of capacity by 2030.

A 300 GW goal for offshore wind by the middle of this century had previously been set by the European Union, which the U.K. exited in January 2020.

To catch up to Europe across the Atlantic, the U.S. must go a considerable distance. The 30 megawatt Block Island Wind Farm, America’s first offshore wind farm, didn’t begin operating commercially until late 2016.

However, change is afoot, and in November 2021, construction on what has been labelled the United States’ “first commercial scale offshore wind farm” officially began.