RWE has completed installation of all 150 recyclable blades at the Sofia Offshore Wind Farm, marking the UK’s first large-scale deployment of recyclable blade technology.
The milestone coincides with another major achievement at the 1.4GW project, with 62 of the 100 Siemens Gamesa 14MW turbines now installed 195km off the UK’s east coast. Each turbine stands 252 metres tall.
RWE said turbine installation remains on schedule for completion in the first half of 2026, with full commercial operation expected in the third quarter of the year.
RWE Offshore Wind chief technical officer Tobias Keitel said: “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.”
He added: “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 operational, Sofia will generate enough renewable electricity to power around 1.2 million homes.
The recyclable rotor blades, manufactured by Siemens Gamesa in Hull, use a specially formulated resin that allows the materials to be separated and repurposed at the end of their lifecycle into products such as vehicle components, bicycle helmets and suitcases.
Sofia builds on RWE’s earlier use of recyclable blades at the Kaskasi Offshore Wind Farm in Germany and will be followed by selected installations at the Thor project off Denmark.
Located on Dogger Bank in the central North Sea, Sofia is one of RWE’s largest offshore developments currently under construction.