18-month programme moves national deepwater and floating wind test site from concept to delivery
The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) has commenced an 18-month development programme to advance plans for DeepWind, a proposed national deepwater and floating offshore wind test facility designed to address a critical gap in the UK’s offshore wind sector.
The £500,000 project is supported by 50% match funding from The Crown Estate’s Supply Chain Accelerator and builds on EMEC’s earlier concept design work for a dedicated floating wind test site.
As offshore wind developments move into deeper waters, technology developers increasingly need access to representative testing environments to prove, refine and de-risk systems before commercial deployment. Existing test sites across Europe do not replicate the metocean conditions expected across the UK’s future offshore wind pipeline.
To meet this need, EMEC has identified a site approximately 20 kilometres west of Orkney, offering suitable water depths, seabed conditions and wind speeds aligned with UK project requirements.
During the programme, EMEC will complete feasibility studies, design scoping and industry engagement to confirm infrastructure requirements for the site. This will include consideration of logistical and operational needs, connectivity to ports, and alignment with the wider UK offshore wind ecosystem.
The project will also progress environmental scoping and early-stage surveys, including bathymetry, sub-bottom profiling, and ornithological and marine mammal monitoring, laying the groundwork for future consenting.
By enabling deepwater and floating wind innovation, the DeepWind test site aims to attract investment, accelerate technology development and reinforce the UK’s position as a global leader in offshore wind innovation.
Industry engagement central to delivery
Mark Hamilton, Operations & Technology Director at EMEC, said:
“The Crown Estate’s Accelerator funding enables us to move decisively from concept to delivery planning for our deepwater wind test site. During the project, we aim to progress leasing and grid-connection applications and initiate some of the longest-lead environmental studies, moving us towards full consenting and Front-End Engineering Design.
“The key outcome will be a robust investment case for phased development of the test site. We will be running a series of engagement exercises over the coming months to gather insight from developers, OEMs, insurers, investors, regulators and community groups, and I encourage interested parties to get in touch with us to help shape the future of UK offshore wind testing.”
