- Flagship project progressing well with over 60% of the 100 turbines now installed at RWE’s Sofia Offshore Wind Farm
- Installation of all 150 Siemens Gamesa recyclable blades successfully completed
- RWE on track to finish turbine installation in the first half of 2026
RWE, a world leader in offshore wind, has passed another major milestone at its Sofia Offshore Wind Farm, with the successful installation of all recyclable wind turbine blades.
The completion of all 150 recyclable blades – 50 sets of three blades are installed per turbine - is a first in the UK, marking the first ever large-scale deployment of this innovative technology at an offshore wind farm in the UK.
The milestone follows hot on the heels of another achievement, with the project having well passed the halfway point of offshore wind turbine installation 195km off the UK’s East coast. So far, 62 of the project’s 100 Siemens Gamesa 14 megawatts (MW) wind turbines have now been installed, each towering 252 metres above the waves. It means the project remains on track to reach commercial operation in September 2026.
Tobias Keitel, Chief Technical Officer, RWE Offshore Wind: 'These latest construction achievements represent a key moment for RWE and Sofia. RWE continues to drive the delivery of one of the UK’s largest offshore wind projects, working collaboratively and safely with our partners to achieve our goals. Sofia remains firmly on track to complete full turbine installation within the first half of next year, with full commercial operations expected in the third quarter of 2026.'
Once fully operational, Sofia will be capable of generating enough renewable electricity to power around 1.2 million typical UK homes.
The recyclable rotor blades used at Sofia are manufactured by Siemens Gamesa at its Hull factory and use a unique resin, that enables easy separation of component materials at the end of each blades’ operational life cycle. This process supports high-value recycling avenues, repurposing materials into products such as vehicle components, bicycle helmets, and suitcases.
Sofia builds on RWE’s world-first installation of recyclable blades at Germany’s Kaskasi Offshore Wind Farm, underpinning a clear commitment to delivering sustainable projects and a truly circular, low-carbon economy. In addition, RWE will install recyclable rotor blades at selected turbines at the Thor offshore project off the Danish coast.
With a maximum installed capacity of 1.4 gigawatts (GW), Sofia is one of RWE’s largest offshore wind farms currently under construction. Located on Dogger Bank in the central North Sea, approximately 195km off the north East coast, the development uses the latest Siemens Gamesa SG 14-222 DD turbines featuring 108-metre blades and a 222-metre rotor diameter.
Further information about RWE’s Sofia Offshore Wind Farm can be found here.
Source: RWE
