It’s a landmark day for offshore wind as Vestas celebrates 30 years since the commissioning of Tunø Knob, the first offshore wind farm in the world still operational. Installed in 1995 off the Danish coast, Tunø Knob was a modest start to an industry that has since scaled beyond early expectations.
Back in 1995, Tunø Knob’s 10 Vestas V39-500 kW turbines, owned by Eurowind Energy, had a combined capacity of just 5 MW. Fast forward to today, and Vestas’ flagship V236-15.0 MW turbine is 30 times more powerful, a stark illustration of how much the technology has evolved. Offshore wind has moved from pioneering experiments to industrial-scale projects.
This milestone isn’t just about numbers. It’s a reminder of the persistence and engineering foresight that shaped the early offshore sector. The first turbines were designed for rough marine environments without the benefits of today’s advanced materials, digital monitoring, or installation vessels. The fact that Tunø Knob’s turbines are still operating today is a testament to the durability of those early designs and the commitment to long-term maintenance in offshore environments.
For the logistics and project cargo sectors, the growth of offshore wind has brought a seismic shift. The turbines of the 1990s could be transported on a single truck. Today’s V236-15.0 MW turbines, with blades stretching over 115 meters, require specialized ships, port upgrades, and heavy-lift equipment capable of handling components weighing hundreds of tons. Every delivery to an offshore wind farm now resembles a complex project cargo operation, with multiple stakeholders, strict timelines, and unique logistical challenges.
As the industry looks to the future, Vestas’ story offers a window into offshore wind’s evolution from small-scale installations to major infrastructure projects that shape global energy markets. The milestone of Tunø Knob underscores the steady march of offshore wind technology, driven by engineering advances and an industry that keeps pushing the limits of what’s possible.
