January 14, 2026
Blown away or blown budget?
UK secures record supply of offshore wind projects
Fans cheer cheaper, cleaner power—skeptics say bills won’t drop without a bigger grid
TLDR: The UK just awarded a record 8.4GW of offshore wind, including Berwick Bank, to power a cleaner grid by 2030. Commenters are split: some celebrate cheaper, homegrown energy, others say bills won’t drop without major grid upgrades and storage—and fear NIMBYs and timelines will blow the plan off course.
Britain just bagged a record batch of offshore wind contracts—think giant sea turbines from Scotland to Wales—featuring the first phase of Berwick Bank (touted as the world’s biggest), Dogger Bank South, Norfolk Vanguard, and Wales’s Awel y Mor. The government says this will cut bills and boost “energy sovereignty,” while analysts warn the real cliffhanger is connecting all this to the grid in time. In the comments, the mood is a storm. pjc50 does the quick maths: “9p per unit” is cheaper than what households pay but higher than today’s wholesale prices, and asks why grid upgrades aren’t in the spotlight, citing Ofgem’s indicators. iamcalledrob is popping confetti: “Fantastic news,” pointing to over 70% non‑fossil on the live meter at grid.iamkate.com. rspoerri goes full meme: “Someone’s going to fight the windmills like Don Quijote,” poking NIMBYs (Not‑In‑My‑Backyard folks). Then blitzar throws shade on both camps: cheaper vs pricier electricity has become “cult” talk. The spiciest reality check comes from clarionbell: prices won’t fall without new transmission lines and storage—and NIMBYs block both. Meanwhile, costs are rising (£91/MWh vs £82 last time), but still under the government’s claimed £147/MWh for new gas. Verdict from the crowd? Big win on paper, but the drama is all about wires, storage, and whether those “cheaper bills” ever show up.
Key Points
- •The UK awarded a record 8.4 GW of offshore wind capacity across England, Scotland and Wales in its latest auction.
- •Projects include the first phase of Berwick Bank in the North Sea, plus Dogger Bank South, Norfolk Vanguard, and Awel y Mor.
- •The UK targets at least 43 GW of offshore wind and 95% clean electricity by 2030; current capacity is 16.6 GW with 11.7 GW under construction.
- •Analysts warn grid connections and timelines make delivering all capacity by 2030 extremely challenging.
- •Seabed-fixed projects secured an average £91/MWh (2024 prices), up from £82/MWh previously; government estimates new gas at £147/MWh including carbon price.