Blade production for Ørsted’s Hornsea 3, the world’s single largest offshore wind farm, has started at the Siemens Gamesa blade factory in Hull.

Each of Hornsea 3’s 197 wind turbines will required three blades. Every blade measures 115m in length – longer than a Premier League football pitch.

Once operational, the wind farm will produce more than 2.9GW of clean energy, enough to power more than 3.3 million homes. It is the third in Ørsted’s Hornsea Zone, following Hornsea 1 and 2, which together are capable of generating enough power for 2.5 million UK homes.

Blades produced by Siemens Gamesa, which employs 1,400 people in Hull, help power both existing wind farms  The Hornsea Zone has supported local manufacturing for almost a decade.

Luke Bridgman, managing director of Hornsea 3 at Ørsted, said: “This is a proud milestone for the Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm and these massive blades reflect how offshore wind energy continues to develop. This impressive feat of engineering is another part of the jigsaw that will help to power the UK.”

Darren Davidson, UK Vice President for Siemens Energy and Siemens Gamesa, said: “Projects like Hornsea 3 demonstrate the scale of industrial capability required to deliver the energy transition. At 115 metres, these are the largest blades ever manufactured in the UK, reflecting how far offshore wind technology has advanced in recent years.

“Producing them in Hull is the result of over 10 years of investment in facilities, people, and expertise, and shows how offshore wind can support skilled manufacturing jobs while strengthening the UK's domestic supply chain.”