If you’ve been following Marine Power Systems for a while, you might have noticed something different. We’re no longer talking exclusively about floating offshore wind.
We’re talking about deep-water offshore wind.
This isn’t just a fresh coat of paint. It’s a deliberate move – one that reflects a fundamental change that MPS is leading in the sector, and one that speaks to the way we think and how we are developing our offshore wind technology solutions. It represents a critical step forward when it comes to making offshore wind in deeper water a practical reality and one which builds on the 20+ years of experience the industry has gained delivering fixed bottom offshore wind.
Let’s talk about why.
Floating offshore wind comes with some challenges
When the term ‘floating wind’ was coined, the industry was in its infancy, and it served its purpose in helping explain how we can move beyond shallow waters, how we can tap into stronger, steadier winds further offshore. But right now, the word ‘floating’ carries some unnecessary baggage. Floating platforms can be expensive to build, transport, and maintain. Logistics are often messy, drawn-out, and heavily dependent on specialised infrastructure. The sector is growing, but the supply chain isn’t keeping up.
At the same time, the market’s appetite for deep-water solutions is growing fast. Developers, investors, and governments are pushing hard to unlock the next frontier. And they’re looking for solutions that work – reliably, affordably, and at scale.
That’s where we come in.
Deep-water offshore wind. Thinking differently. A hybrid solution.
Yes, we have floating solutions for the deepest waters but when it comes to depths of 60 to 130m we think the answer is not fully floating.
The hybrid solutions we are developing now blend the best of fixed and floating. They leverage an execution model the UK offshore industry has developed over 20 years and take account of a supply chain that has the experience and capacity to support that model.
The result? A significant reduction in both project cost and risk. The approach has hugely positive implications for turbine wear, yield, and operations and maintenance too. The numbers back it up with a forecast saving of £1.5m per MW in upfront capital expenditure and a reduction in Levelised Cost of Energy (LCoE) by at least 30%.
We believe it’s time to call the sector what it truly is: deep-water offshore wind.
Why? Because it’s not just exclusively about floating anymore. It’s about operating – efficiently, affordably, and reliably – in deep water. It’s about building bankable projects that support our transition further offshore and into deeper waters. From where we are now to 130m. Yes, beyond that the solution might well be a fully floating one, and we have that in our technology portfolio too, but right now, we need to make that first step and take the lower hanging fruit.
Aligning with national clean energy goals
The UK’s Clean Power 2030 report calls for offshore wind to provide over half of the nation’s power generation by 2030, requiring an expansion to 50 GW of offshore wind capacity, including 5 GW from ‘floating’ wind. The fact that recent allocation rounds have fallen short highlights the need for scalable and cost-effective solutions.
Deep-water offshore wind offers a viable path to bridge the gap. By not letting the term ‘floating’ limit our thinking and innovation we can focus on solutions that are both technically and commercially viable. Solutions that accelerate deployment and ensure that we can credibly meet national clean energy targets.
The same story is playing out the world over and we are seeing the same challenges in some of the global markets we are working in, specifically in Europe, Japan, China and other parts of Asia.
Setting a new Industry standard
Switching to ‘deep-water offshore wind’ isn’t about abandoning where we’ve been. It’s about being clear about where we’re going.
We are taking offshore wind further. We’re making deep water not just possible, but practical. We’re doing it in a way that reduces risk, cost, and complexity – without compromising on performance. And we’re setting a new benchmark for how offshore wind projects can be delivered at scale.