Greenpeace boulders could delay construction of £12bn North Sea wind farms

Greenpeace activists dumped about 15 tonnes of boulders onto the site of a £12bn offshore wind farm project off the Norfolk coast, a move that could stall construction, the Guardian reported.

The wind farms, backed by Andy Burnham, are part of a larger push to expand renewable energy in the North Sea. The activists created a “boulder barrier” by dropping stone blocks, each weighing up to 2 tonnes, onto the seabed as a protest against bottom trawling.

According to the Guardian, the boulders are intended to protect harbour porpoises by discouraging a fishing method that disturbs the sea floor. Their presence on the wind‑farm site may force developers to remove the stones or alter plans, creating an unexpected stumbling block for the project.

The incident highlights a clash between marine‑conservation actions and the rollout of large‑scale clean‑energy infrastructure.

Why it matters

Delays to the wind farms could slow the delivery of new renewable capacity in the North Sea, while the protest underscores tensions between environmental protection and energy development.

Key details

Location

United Kingdom · Europe

Reported by

The Guardian

First reported

14 Nov 2026, 16:30 IST

Key names

North Sea, Norfolk, Burnham-backed, Andy Burnham

Section

Environment

Figure cited

Greenpeace created the “boulder barrier” to safeguard harbour porpoises off the Norfolk coast by dropping giant stone blocks, each weighing up to 2 tonnes, on to the sea floor to prevent a method of fishing known as bottom… (The Guardian)

Sources

This is an independent summary. Read the full, original reporting from the publisher:

• The GuardianGreenpeace boulders may delay building of £12bn windfarms in North Sea 14 Nov, 16:30

Read the full story at The Guardian ↗

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