Cerulean Winds Launches 1GW Aspen Floating Wind Project in North Sea, Boosting Jobs and Investment

Image Credit: Cerulean Winds

In a move set to redefine the UK's renewable energy landscape, Cerulean Winds has launched the Aspen floating wind initiative in the central North Sea — a groundbreaking 1GW project that promises to generate over 1,000 jobs. The project is expected to bring a colossal £10.9bn investment over its 50-year lifespan, fueling energy production and local economies.

The Aspen initiative is the product of an innovative collaboration among industry giants. The project is backed by a powerful consortium of NOV, Siemens Energy, Bilfinger, Ocean Installer, and Haventus, each contributing extensive expertise in large-scale offshore ventures. Together, they plan to channel significant domestic expenditure into this game-changing project.

A project charter reveals that the consortium’s domestic investment commitment stands at £1bn, with an additional £1bn targeted to attract international funding. At the heart of the initiative is the Ardersier Energy Transition Facility, set to be the UK's first dedicated assembly, delivery, and operations hub for floating offshore wind (FLOW). The facility’s strategic role will bolster the Aspen project’s logistical framework, creating an integrated industrial ecosystem in Scotland and ensuring economic benefits are deeply rooted within the UK.

Cerulean Winds' founding director, Dan Jackson, said: “This project has the potential to support thousands of skilled jobs and billions in investment to the UK. From a base in Scotland, Cerulean Winds and our delivery partners want to grasp the opportunity of creating a floating offshore wind supply chain industrial base in the UK.

“Having our delivery partners already in place, working together to a shared goal means that we are able to accurately predict the benefits that Aspen can deliver.”

This initiative is more than just a project; it's a long-term commitment to the UK economy. Over the next five decades, the Aspen project alone is set to contribute £4.1bn in gross value added (GVA) to the nation, with £2.8bn directly benefiting Scotland.

A hefty chunk of the overall £10.9bn investment is earmarked for development and construction — specifically, £5.9bn — while the annual operating costs will be approximately £100m over the next 50 years. This financial injection will power the UK’s green ambitions and strengthen the domestic supply chain.

As the first site to be developed, Aspen will play a crucial role in helping the UK Government meet its ambitious goal of achieving 50GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030. When the Aspen, Beech, and Cedar projects are completed, they could see up to 300 turbines in operation, making a significant dent in the global transition to clean energy.

With the Aspen initiative, Cerulean Winds isn’t just building wind farms — it's laying the foundation for a sustainable, economically vibrant future.

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “The clean energy transition is well under way in Scotland – thanks to state-of-the-art offshore wind projects, like this one at the Port of Ardersier, that will help us deliver on our Plan for Change and clean power by 2030 mission.”