SSE has secured a pivotal UK government Contract for Difference (CfD) for the initial phase of its Berwick Bank offshore wind farm, a significant step towards developing one of the globe’s largest renewable energy projects.
Located in the outer Firth of Forth, off the East Lothian coast, the development is earmarked to eventually host up to 307 turbines with a full projected capacity of 4.1 gigawatts (GW), capable of powering up to six million homes.
This initial contract, awarded in the UK’s seventh CfD Allocation Round (AR7), covers approximately 1.4 GW of the wind farm’s capacity. The CfD scheme, a cornerstone of the UK’s energy strategy since 2014, provides long-term revenue certainty for low-carbon electricity generators by guaranteeing a minimum price for their output, thereby de-risking substantial investments and driving down costs for consumers. The AR7 round saw a total of 8.4 GW of new offshore wind capacity contracted, a notable recovery from the previous AR5 which failed to secure any new offshore wind projects.
Martin Pibworth, Chief Executive of SSE, emphasised the contract’s importance, stating it “enables us to advance the project towards a final investment decision” and “reinforces our commitment at SSE to delivering sustainable growth and long-term value for society, for consumers and for our shareholders.” He added that if “built to its full projected capacity of more than 4GW, Berwick Bank wind farm can rank among the largest offshore wind projects globally,” representing a “single most significant contribution toward achieving the Scottish and UK governments’ offshore wind targets.”
The project, estimated by SSE to contribute up to £6 billion to the UK economy through its construction, comes as the UK aims to boost energy independence and achieve ambitious offshore wind targets of 43-50 GW by 2030. This national drive seeks to reduce reliance on volatile fossil fuel markets, a strategic imperative highlighted by global energy crises.
Jess Ralston, an energy analyst at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), remarked, “This is set to be a breakthrough moment in the UK’s energy independence and for stabilising household and industry’s energy bills.”
However, the Berwick Bank development has not been without controversy. Conservation groups, led by RSPB Scotland, have vociferously opposed the plans, citing severe threats to seabird populations.
Anne McCall, Director of RSPB Scotland, called it a “disgrace” to use public money for what she described as “one of the world’s most harmful wind farms for birds.” She stressed that “efforts to tackle climate change must be delivered with nature in mind, not at its expense,” arguing that the development “will kill tens of thousands of seabirds over its lifetime and push species like Kittiwakes and Puffins closer to extinction in Scotland is unsupportable on every level.” RSPB Scotland highlights that 70% of seabird species are already in decline in Scotland, facing threats from climate change, fishing, and avian flu.
Further political friction emerged from the Scottish government. Scottish Energy Secretary Gillian Martin criticised the UK government’s CfD round as a “missed opportunity” for Scotland, suggesting that a limited budget and “unfair” transmission charges disadvantaged Scottish projects. These charges, which generators pay to use the electricity network, are significantly higher for projects in northern Scotland due to longer transmission distances to demand centres in the south, impacting their economic viability.
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Berwick Bank will be situated approximately 24 miles offshore, near the operational Seagreen wind farm, currently Scotland’s largest, which became fully operational in October 2023 with a capacity of 1.075 GW.
Power from Berwick Bank will be brought ashore to substations in Dunbar, East Lothian, and Blyth, Northumberland. Alongside this, a contract was also secured for the much smaller, 100 MW Pentland floating offshore wind farm off Dounreay, showcasing the UK’s commitment to diverse offshore wind technologies.
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