Explained, A Typical Timeline

A Typical Timeline

From Crown Estate seabed identification to final decommissioning, an offshore wind farm in the UK passes through nine distinct stages across multiple decades. This page maps the typical timeline and key milestones for a UK OFTO CFD offshore wind farm, illustrating the long-term planning horizon and regulatory complexity involved in bringing gigawatt-scale renewable infrastructure online.

What is the typical lifespan of an offshore wind farm from cradle to grave?
Typical Lifespan
0 years
From Crown Estate seabed leasing to full decommissioning and seabed restoration, a UK offshore wind farm typically spans 43 to 48 years. This includes up to 8 years of development and consenting, 2 years of construction, up to 35 years of commercial operation, and up to 5 years for end-of-life decisions and decommissioning.
Year -8 to -7

Crown Estate Seabed Leasing

The Crown Estate identifies seabed areas suitable for offshore wind development and runs competitive leasing rounds. Developers submit applications and, if successful, secure option agreements granting exclusive rights to develop the site.

  • Seabed identification and site selection
  • Leasing round participation
  • Option agreement secured
Year -7 to -4

Development & Consenting

Developers undertake extensive environmental surveys, stakeholder consultations, and technical studies. The project enters the Development Consent Order (DCO) process, seeking marine licenses and planning approval. Grid connection agreements are negotiated with the relevant transmission operator.

  • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
  • DCO application and public examination
  • Marine licenses and permits
  • Grid connection agreements
  • Geotechnical and metocean surveys
Year -4 to -3

CfD Auction

Projects bid into the government's Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Rounds. Successful projects secure a guaranteed strike price for electricity generated over a 15-year period, providing revenue certainty that enables financing.

  • Allocation Round participation
  • Strike price bid submission
  • CfD contract award
Year -3 to -2

Financial Close

With consents and revenue support secured, developers finalize project financing. Banks and investors commit capital, and the Final Investment Decision (FID) is taken. Major contracts for turbines, foundations, cables, and installation vessels are signed.

  • Final Investment Decision (FID)
  • Debt and equity financing secured
  • Turbine supply agreements
  • Foundation and cable contracts
  • Installation vessel charters
Year -2 to 0

Construction

Offshore construction begins with foundation installation, followed by turbine erection and cable laying. An offshore substation is built to aggregate power from the array. Export cables connect the wind farm to the onshore grid connection point.

  • Foundation installation (monopiles, jackets, or floating)
  • Offshore substation construction
  • Turbine installation
  • Inter-array cable laying
  • Export cable installation
Year 0

Commissioning

Turbines are energized and tested. The wind farm connects to the grid and begins generating power. System performance is validated, and the project transitions from construction to commercial operation.

  • Grid connection and synchronization
  • Turbine testing and optimization
  • First power and ramp-up 🎉
  • Performance validation
Year 0 to +35

Operation

The wind farm operates commercially under the CfD contract, generating electricity and revenue. Operations and maintenance (O&M) teams monitor performance, conduct scheduled servicing, and respond to faults. Modern projects are now designed for operational lifespans of up to 35 years.

  • Commercial operation under CfD
  • Scheduled and reactive maintenance
  • Performance monitoring and optimization
  • Component replacements and upgrades
Year 0 to +2.25

OFTO Transfer

Offshore transmission assets (the offshore substation and export cables) are transferred to an Offshore Transmission Owner (OFTO) via a competitive tender process managed by Ofgem. This process can take up to 27 months from the start of operation. The OFTO then owns and operates the transmission infrastructure, while the wind farm developer retains the generation assets.

  • OFTO tender process initiation
  • Bidder evaluation and selection
  • Asset handover and transfer
  • OFTO assumes operational responsibility
Year +35 to +40

End of Life Options

As the wind farm approaches the end of its operational life, the owner evaluates three pathways: repowering the site with new, larger turbines; repurposing the infrastructure for alternative uses such as hydrogen production or energy storage; or full decommissioning, which involves removing structures and restoring the seabed.

  • Life extension assessments
  • Repowering with next-generation turbines
  • Repurposing for hydrogen, storage, or other uses
  • Full decommissioning and seabed restoration
Note on timelines. The durations shown are typical for UK OFTO CFD offshore wind farms commissioned in the 2020s. Actual timelines vary significantly by project size, complexity, regulatory changes, and market conditions. Early projects in the 2010s often had shorter development windows but shorter operational lifespans (20 to 25 years). Newer projects benefit from streamlined consenting but face longer OFTO transfer processes and are designed for extended operational lives.
A Typical Timeline | EOS Omnia