Scotland Approves SSE's 4.1 GW Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm on Our Platform
In a significant step towards renewable energy, the Scottish government has granted final approval for SSE Renewables' Berwick Bank offshore wind farm. This project, if fully developed, will become the world's largest offshore wind farm, capable of generating enough clean energy to power more than six million homes annually.
Located in the outer Firth of Forth off the East Lothian coast, the wind farm is planned to have a capacity of 4.1 gigawatts (GW). However, the project still requires SSE to secure a contract through the UK’s Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme and reach a final investment decision.
The Berwick Bank wind farm is expected to significantly boost UK energy security, support the net-zero emissions targets, and stimulate economic growth in Scotland and the broader UK. The capacity of the wind farm aligns with Scotland's broader ambitions to raise the national offshore wind target to 40 GW by 2040 as part of the country’s clean energy transition and climate goals.
The wind farm array will comprise up to 307 turbines installed across a 1,010-square-kilometre site. Each turbine will be installed on a fixed-bottom foundation, and the project will also include up to ten offshore substations. Over the project's expected lifetime, Berwick Bank could inject GBP 8.3 billion of value into the UK economy, according to SSE.
If fully delivered, the Berwick Bank wind farm could create 9,300 direct, indirect, and induced jobs in the UK at peak construction, with around 4,650 of these jobs in Scotland. Stephen Wheeler, Managing Director of SSE Renewables, stated that Berwick Bank can play a pivotal role in meeting the mission of Clean Power 2030 for the UK and achieving Scotland's decarbonisation and climate action goals.
The consent determination by Scottish ministers approves the project's main array in the outer Firth of Forth off the East Lothian coast. The project will connect to the UK national grid via two connection points: one at Branxton near Dunbar in East Lothian, Scotland, and another at Cambois near Blyth in Northumberland, northeast England.
The decision represents the last major consent necessary for the wind farm to proceed. SSE aims to participate in the upcoming AR7 government auction round to obtain fixed-price electricity contracts for at least 20 years, facilitating financial viability for the project.
References:
- SSE wins Scottish government approval for 4.1 GW Berwick Bank offshore wind park, Enerdata, 2025-08-04 www.enerdata.net
- Scotland Greenlights SSE’s 4.1 GW Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm, OffshoreWind.biz, 2025-07-31 www.offshorewind.biz
- World's Largest Offshore Wind Farm Approved in Scotland, Blacksheep Utilities, 2025-08-05 www.blacksheeputilities.com
- Scotland gives go-ahead for world's largest offshore wind farm, Politico, 2025-08-01 www.politico.eu
- The Scottish government's approval of SSE Renewables' Berwick Bank offshore wind farm is a significant investment in renewable energy, aligning with the UK's clean energy transition and climate goals.
- The Berwick Bank wind farm, once fully developed, will be the world's largest offshore wind farm, capable of generating enough clean energy to power more than six million homes annually.
- Conemporary environmental science and technology demonstrate the potential of renewable energy to stimulate economic growth, support industry, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as seen in the Berwick Bank project.
- To become economically viable, the Berwick Bank wind farm requires SSE Renewables to secure a contract through the UK’s Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme and reach a final investment decision.
- Data and cloud computing will play a crucial role in managing the vast amounts of data generated by the Berwick Bank wind farm, ensuring its efficient operation and integration with the national grid.
- The Berwick Bank offshore wind farm, if fully delivered, will not only generate clean energy but also create thousands of jobs, contributing to both Scotland's and the UK's economic growth while tackling climate-change and supporting environmental-science goals.
