Berwick Bank: a catalyst for wind farm electrification?

The green light for the Berwick Bank offshore wind farm marks a landmark moment for UK clean energy, one that could power up to 6 million homes and provide a vital boost to the economy and energy security. However, the supporting infrastructure around the site risks limiting potential returns unless we act soon to electrify offshore operations.

Operations and maintenance (O&M) fleets provide essential support services for wind farm maintenance and modification, but they are still largely reliant on marine gas oil (MGO) to operate. This practice has been essential over the past three decades for helping offshore wind gain a foothold against the incumbent fossil fuels industry. However, in 2025 this model is no longer fit for purpose, especially at a time when we have gigawatts of clean, renewable power right at our fingertips. The answer lies in fleet electrification.

Just this year, the UK government set out several policies and recommendations which make over-reliance of fossil fuels much less viable. For example, the Department for Transport (DfT) has published a call for evidence on decarbonising small vessels under 400 gross t.¹ This means that, pending consultation, O&M fleets would be subject to the same regulations as larger vessels under the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy.² These include the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) expanding to cover domestic maritime greenhouse gas emissions from 2026, and the likely introduction of domestic fuel regulations aimed at driving for driving the uptake of net zero fuels and energy sources.

Moving forward, Berwick Bank could act as the perfect blueprint for future-proof offshore development. That means designing in the infrastructure needed to power the next generation of clean, electrified O&M fleets from day one. Without offshore charging capability, electric vessels including crew transfer vessels (CTVs) and service operation vessels (SOVs) are limited in range and impact because shore-only charging simply isn’t enough for offshore development at the scale of Berwick Bank.

The good news? The technology is already here: commercially available electric vessels, maturing marine batteries and proven offshore charging systems that allow vessels to draw zero-emission power directly from turbines or substations. What’s missing, however, is coordinated policy and developer commitment to install charging infrastructure as part of the project scope.

Indeed, the economic argument is becoming hard to ignore. Not only does electrification reduce carbon emissions, but it significantly cuts operating costs. Energy price stability is a key factor for determining long-term OPEX. With pending taxation on MGO and the volatile fuel prices associated with MGO and its eco-alternatives, major financial OPEX risks are real, but can be alleviated entirely by electrification.

Alternative fuels, like e-methanol and green ammonia, are being explored as alternatives to fossil fuels. However, they are far from full commercialisation, they remain significantly more expensive and less energy efficient than electric propulsion, and are unlikely to be widely available for a long while. In contrast, electricity, particularly from offshore wind, is available now, increasingly affordable, local and predictable, and comes with the ability to charge regularly at offshore energy production sites and at shore-based quay sides.

Couple this with the fact that electric propulsion systems require much less maintenance than their internal combustion counterparts, and we can start to see the depth and breadth of savings that O&M operators can realise. In fact, electric SOVs under long-term charter agreements could see energy cost savings approaching £1 million annually, with CTVs forecast to reach breakeven OPEX by 2027 and then then continue falling from there.³

“If projects like Berwick Bank are to deliver sustained value for developers, investors and the public, they would benefit from embracing electrification from the outset. The opportunity is there, but only if we act at scale and with urgency. Policymakers, grid operators, ports and wind farm developers now have the opportunity to work together in a coordinated effort, collaborating on scalable offshore charg-ing projects to make vessel electrification a key part of the UK’s clean energy future.”

Read the latest whitepaper, Offshore Charging: Wind Farm O&M Fleet Electrification Enabler, created by MJR Power & Automation and commissioned by ScottishPower Renewables, with support from Operation Zero.

References

1. ’Open call for evidence: Decarbonising smaller vessels’, GOV.UK, (14 July 2025), www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/decarbonising-smaller-vessels/decarbonising-smaller-vessels 
2. ’Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy’, Department for Transport, (2025), https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67f4dcb3c2fea2548f4eff64/dft-maritime-decarb-strategy-25.pdf 
3. ‘MJR Power & Automation unveils whitepaper on acceleration pathways for offshore fleet electrification’, Charge Offshore, https://www.chargeoffshore.com/news/mjr-power-automation-unveils-whitepaper-on-acceleration-pathways-for-offshore-fleet-electrification 

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Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/special-reports/13082025/berwick-bank-a-catalyst-for-wind-farm-electrification/