Global operational offshore wind capacity grew by 14% in the last 12 months to 85GW, according to a report from RenewableUK.
The EnergyPulse Insights Offshore Wind report said the capacity added over the past year generates enough electricity to power the equivalent of more than 11 million UK homes all year round.
The report revealed that China and the UK retain their top positions with 42.9GW and 15.6GW respectively. Germany is in third place with 9GW and the Netherlands is fourth with 5.4GW. Taiwan is now fifth with 3GW, while Denmark is in sixth place with 2.7GW.
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 threefold 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 12 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 1219GW across 1555 projects in 46 countries.
The report also shows that nearly 8.5GW of UK offshore wind capacity, across 13 projects, is technically eligible 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 five 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 25.6GW.
RenewableUK’s deputy chief executive Jane Cooper (pictured) 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.”