A wide view of offshore wind turbines standing in the ocean under a cloudy sky.
Scroby Sands offshore wind farm

Offshore wind farm

Scroby Sands

Commissioned in March 2004, Scroby Sands is one of the UK's first commercial offshore wind farms. Located on the Scroby Sands sandbank in the North Sea, 2.5 kilometres off the coast of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, it has an installed capacity of 60 megawatts and is able to power over 48,000 households.

A fire in the nacelle of a turbine in the Scroby Sands Wind Farm array in August 2023, resulted in the total loss of operation of that turbine, although the shell of the nacelle remains. Due to the complex and amphibious nature of the specific location, RWE, operators of Scroby Sands Wind Farm, has spent some time reviewing all potential technical solutions relating to the removal, deconstruction or replanting of the affected turbine.

A decision has been taken to deconstruct the non-operational turbine as early as 2025. To this end, we have initiated the process with the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) that will result in sections of the turbine being removed.

Project status: In operation

Facts and figures

00

wind turbines

Power for over 00

average UK households

00 megawatts

Green energy generated

Offshore wind revolution

Scroby Sands was one of the first of a group of projects to be built in the UK, and all in coastal locations with relatively shallow waters close to shore. Scroby Sands was built on a prehistoric sandbank and, because of natural changes in the marine environment and coastal erosion, this has risen over time effectively isolating four turbines from being accessed by service vessels.

RWE, in partnership with Commercial Rib Charters (CRC), is driving an offshore wind revolution, with the innovative design and build of a world-first amphibious vessel for reaching offshore wind farms in shallow waters.

A crew transfer vessel named CRC Walrus stands on sandy shore near wind turbines, showcasing a modern design and wheels.

The unique crew transfer vessel has initially been designed to reach turbines at Scroby Sands, which have become stranded by the natural rising tide of the sandbank on which it is built. The fully seaworthy vessel, which can also drive on land, provides a unique access solution for some of the industry’s first-generation assets affected by very dynamic seabed conditions. We have named the vessel CRC Walrus.

Ownership and operation

Scroby Sands is owned and operated by RWE Renewables UK Limited (100%).