Ocean Winds has secured rights to develop a floating offshore wind project in the Celtic Sea, marking a key step in the UK’s progress towards commercial-scale floating offshore wind.
The Crown Estate selected Ocean Winds, a 50-50 joint venture between EDP Renewables and Engie, for the third site offered in Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5.
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The site spans 358km² off the coast of England and Wales and will support the development of a floating offshore wind project in water depths of 71m to 88m.
The project could be executed in phases, reaching a final installed capacity of up to 1.5GW.
This award follows the allocation of two earlier sites in June 2025.
The third site was granted through a direct award process run by The Crown Estate, with Ocean Winds chosen as the successful developer.
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By GlobalDataCrown Estate CEO Dan Labbad said: “I’m incredibly proud that we have delivered on the commitment we made to secure a developer for the third site in the Celtic Sea, and we’re delighted that Ocean Winds will join other world-leading companies to invest in the UK and help establish this pioneering new technology for the long-term benefit of the country.”
Ocean Winds is known for its expertise in floating wind technology.
The company delivered WindFloat Atlantic in Portugal, the world’s first semisubmersible floating wind farm, in 2020.
Recently, it advanced the Eoliennes flottantes du Golfe du Lion floating demonstrator site in France, which is currently in the late stages of construction.
In addition to this, Ocean Winds has commercial-scale floating offshore wind projects under development in both South Korea and France.
The company added that its new project is well-positioned to accelerate the UK’s floating offshore wind sector, create high-quality jobs, and generate long-term socioeconomic value.
Ocean Winds CEO Craig Windram said: “We are proud to be selected for the award of development rights for this strategic site. With over a decade of experience pioneering floating wind technology, and a proven ability to deliver fixed-bottom projects at pace, we are confident in our capabilities to deliver this commercial-scale floating project.
“The project will bring substantial benefits to the UK and play a vital role in the energy transition.”
