RenewableUK’s latest EnergyPulse Insights Offshore Wind report shows that global operational offshore wind capacity has grown from 74.7GW twelve months ago to 85.2GW now, an increase of 14%. The new capacity added over the past year generates enough electricity to power the equivalent of more than 11 million UK homes all year round.
China and the UK retain their top positions with 42.9GW and 15.6GW respectively, Germany remains third with 9GW and the Netherlands fourth with 5.4GW. Taiwan is now fifth with 3GW, and Denmark is in sixth place with 2.7GW:
Global operational offshore wind capacity (MW):
The report also shows that there is more than enough global offshore wind capacity currently under construction (27.3GW) to surpass the 100GW operational milestone once completed – this is expected to be reached around the middle of next year. Operational offshore wind capacity could increase nearly 3-fold to 244GW worldwide by the end of 2030. New markets are continuing to emerge, with the first offshore wind projects in Indonesia, Chile, Guernsey, Bermuda, and Malta defined in the last twelve months.
The total global portfolio of active offshore wind farms worldwide at any stage of development (from early planning to fully operational) now stands at 1,219GW across 1,555 projects in 46 countries:
Total capacity of global offshore wind projects at all stages of development (MW)
The report also shows that nearly 8.5GW of UK offshore wind capacity, across 13 projects, is technically eligible for to bid into the Government’s next clean power auction, Allocation Round 7, which opens this year – although eligibility does not necessarily mean that developers will choose to bid in this time around. A further 7.8GW could become eligible if 5 other projects receive consent from the Government before the auction, bringing the potential total to 16.3GW. Ministers are considering relaxing the eligibility rules to allow fixed-bottom projects still in the planning system to participate in AR7. If implemented, total eligible capacity could reach 25.6 GW.
RenewableUK’s Deputy Chief Executive Jane Cooper said, “It’s great to see this significant increase in operational offshore wind capacity worldwide, as well as the healthy pipeline of future projects with new countries entering the market every year.
“As our latest EnergyPulse report shows, the UK is maintaining its position as a global leader in offshore wind with more capacity than any other European country and a bigger pipeline, despite intense international competition for private investment.
“Our analysis shows that nearly 8.5GW of new offshore wind capacity could potentially bid in the next clean power auction – and this could almost double if further projects gain consent in time. We’re urging the Government to put the right framework in place to maximise this by ruling out zonal pricing which would deter investors at a crucial time as we’re building vital new projects to reach their target of clean power by 2030”.
The report comes a day before RenewableUK’s 2-day Global Offshore Wind 2025 conference and exhibition opens in London.
More details on our EnergyPulse reports and access to the full interactive database, which is available to RenewableUK members and EnergyPulse subscribers, are available here.
