• Boldyn Networks to build 4G mobile network at Hornsea 3, set to be the world’s largest offshore wind farm
• The network will power critical communications infrastructure needed during the construction of the site
• Employees will be able to stay connected with friends and family whilst at sea

13 February 2024 | London, England

Boldyn Networks is announcing its second partnership with Ørsted, a global leader in offshore wind, to build a high-speed mobile network at Hornsea 3, set to be the world’s largest offshore wind farm once constructed.

Located 160km off the UK east coast, Hornsea 3 is being built by Ørsted, covering an area of approximately 696 km2 in the North Sea. With up to 200 wind turbines, the wind farm will be capable of generating clean energy for over 3.3 million UK homes - playing a vital role in achieving the UK government’s ambition of having 50 gigawatts of offshore wind in operation by 2030 and supporting clean jobs.

Working closely with Ørsted, Boldyn Networks will design and build a high-speed mobile network providing super-fast network communications infrastructure needed during the wind farm’s construction. The network will support ‘offices at sea’, enabling seamless access to emails and work-related applications, as well as connecting software systems and construction equipment being used to build the wind farm.

It will also provide workers with the fast and reliable connectivity needed for the day-to-day running of the wind farm, and allow workers to stay connected with family and friends whilst working offshore for long periods of time, contributing to the welfare of employees living in ‘hotels at sea’.

The infrastructure being installed will enable the wind farm to operate more sustainably. The high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission technology that will be used allows more efficient means for transferring power over long distances. This technology will not only ensure reliable mobile connectivity, but it will significantly reduce the costs and materials required for the project.

Previous successful offshore projects delivered include the Moray East wind farm in Scotland where Vilicom, now Boldyn Networks, designed a bespoke private network covering an area of 295km² and the deployment of a 4G mobile network at Hornsea 2 wind farm.

Sean Keating, Managing Director, Professional and Cloud Services at Boldyn Networks said: “Hornsea 3 marks our third wind farm delivered, reflecting our commitment to helping build a cleaner, greener future. Our expertise in deploying state of the art wireless solutions in complex and challenging environments positions us as the partner of choice. We are proud to be partnering with Ørsted once again to bring cutting-edge connectivity solutions to the world’s largest wind farm.”

Luke Bridgman, Hornsea 3 Senior Project Director at Ørsted, said: “Delivering a project with the size and scale of Hornsea 3 safely and successful requires strong communication across the project. During construction, Hornsea 3 will support thousands of jobs and it’s essential that our teams are well connected throughout this phase. We look forward to working with Boldyn Networks as we progress our plans for offshore construction.”

The company’s rebrand to Boldyn Networks at the end of June 2023, united six BAI Communications businesses in the Northern Hemisphere, including Vilicom, to create one of the world’s largest shared network infrastructure providers.