Iberdrola and Haizea Wind Group sealed contracts surpassing 200 million euros for Haizea Bilbao to supply 50 monopile stacks for the East Anglia Three offshore wind project in the United Kingdom. The venture was driven by ScottishPower, the UK arm of the energy group, and signals a milestone in European offshore wind development.
The agreement is expected to create about 350 direct jobs each year as the single masts are manufactured at the new Haizea Bilbao facilities in the Port of Bilbao, whose construction began with the ceremonial laying of the first stone this week.
The contract was formalized this week at Haizea Wind Group facilities in the port, with Ignacio Sánchez Galán, president of Iberdrola, and Dámaso Quintana, president of Haizea Wind Group, in attendance.
Regional leadership, including Iñigo Urkullu the Lehendakari, along with Bizkaia deputy general manager Unai Rementeria, Economic Development Minister Arantxa Tapia and Zierbena mayor Iñigo de Loyola, participated in the event and the ceremonial laying of the first stone for Haizea Wind facilities. The project calls for an investment exceeding 150 million euros in the Port area.
Currently Haizea Bilbao operates on a 48,800 square meter facility and employs around 500 personnel. Following the new contract, the Haizea Bilbao footprint will exceed 200,000 square meters. The expansion requires extending the existing concession with the Port Authority to accommodate three additional vessels and a new storage area for single masts prior to shipment.
The Haizea Bilbao expansion, now under way, involves an investment of more than 150 million euros and is being managed by Amenabar, a Basque company with a strong track record in major projects.
With the contract, Haizea Bilbao is set to create 350 direct jobs and will contribute to a broader project pipeline valued at over 1.5 billion euros in Bilbao over the coming four years. This expansion is described as a significant step in strengthening technological and production capabilities in the offshore wind sector.
The 50 monopiles Haizea Wind Group will produce for Iberdrola are intended to support the East Anglia Three offshore wind turbines in the United Kingdom. The overall East Anglia Three project is planned to reach a capacity of 1.4 gigawatts and is expected to supply clean energy to more than a million homes in Britain.
Single masts refer to large steel structures that anchor wind turbines to the seabed and are the most cost effective foundation type for a large portion of offshore wind farms globally. Today monopiles for 10 to 12 megawatt turbines typically measure 8 to 9 meters in diameter, 80 to 90 meters long, and weigh around 1,500 tons. Haizea Bilbao stands among the few European manufacturers capable of producing parts of this scale.
Looking ahead, turbines reaching 20 megawatts and larger single masts could feature diameters up to 14 to 15 meters, lengths of about 130 meters, and weights approaching 3,500 tons. The Bilbao factory expansion is designed to scale up production to mass output, positioning the site as a leading European hub for these components. The contract assigns Haizea Bilbao responsibility for material procurement, process engineering, and the manufacturing of the monopiles.
This expansion aligns with Haizea Wind Group’s strategic plan to become a central player in the offshore wind supply chain. The company aims to secure a strong position in offshore base generation and allied supply activities, a goal reinforced by the recent deal with Iberdrola and broader growth ambitions for the region. The event also underscored Port of Bilbao’s role in advancing southern Europe’s offshore wind capacity with substantial investment. [Cited from Iberdrola and Haizea Wind Group communications]
Iberdrola is pursuing a record investment program totalling 47 billion euros between 2023 and 2025. About 17 billion euros are earmarked for renewable energy, with nearly half of that focus directed at offshore wind technology across France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Onshore wind, solar, hydro, and storage are also part of the mix, forming a broad portfolio intended to lift renewable installed capacity by about 12.1 gigawatts to reach roughly 52 gigawatts by 2025. [Cited from corporate investment disclosure]
Haizea Wind Group, established in 2017, operates across three business units: wind towers, offshore foundations, and large castings for wind projects. The contract with Iberdrola marks a second major agreement for Haizea Bilbao at the Port after a deal with Orsted was announced in the previous autumn. [Cited from company disclosures]
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During the event, Iberdrola President Ignacio Sánchez Galán described the day as a milestone that showcases industrial and technological development and the creation of jobs, along with opportunities for international collaboration and energy transfer. He called the Haizea Wind factory a clear example of success and an event worth celebrating. He noted that the East Anglia Three project represents a substantial investment, underscoring that such projects succeed when parties cooperate and align capabilities. [Cited from company remarks]
Haizea Wind
Dámaso Quintana, chair of Haizea Wind Group, emphasized the challenge of bringing the new facilities in the Port online with an investment exceeding 150 million euros. He highlighted Haizea Wind’s ambition to lead in the production of monopiles and to supply Iberdrola under the new contract. Quintana thanked the institutions and Iberdrola, adding that many Basque businesses have become references in their fields thanks to the energy company, with hopes that Haizea will soon be recognized worldwide as a benchmark in wind component manufacturing. He urged Ignacio Sánchez Galán not to doubt the commitment, promising ongoing loyalty as a supplier and continued effort to help Iberdrola reach its goals. [Cited from leadership statements]