Global Offshore Wind Capacity: 85 GW Achieved, 100 GW Targeted by 2026

With an annual increase of 14%, global offshore wind capacity now reaches 85.2 gigawatts, driven mainly by China, the United Kingdom, and Germany, while another 27.3 gigawatts are currently under construction.

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The global installed offshore wind capacity has reached 85.2 gigawatts (GW), according to the recent RenewableUK report, EnergyPulse Insights Offshore Wind. This marks an annual increase of 14%, up from 74.7 GW previously. The sector continues to grow steadily, supported by sustained investments in Asia and Europe. Among operational capacities, China now holds a dominant position with 42.9 GW installed, representing over half of the global total.

China Leads, Europe Accelerates

Following China, the United Kingdom has an operational capacity of 15.6 GW, with Germany coming next at 9 GW. The Netherlands (5.4 GW), Taiwan (3 GW), and Denmark (2.7 GW) complete the group of major players in the offshore wind sector. Additionally, the United Kingdom is preparing for a new phase of auctions (Allocation Round 7) aimed at adding up to 16.3 GW of additional offshore capacity by 2030, primarily using Contracts for Difference (CfD).

Meanwhile, Germany continues key projects in the North Sea and Baltic Sea, while the Netherlands is advancing major initiatives such as Hollandse Kust West, aimed at strengthening its offshore grid. In Asia, Taiwan maintains a steady pace, currently developing additional capacities to reach approximately 5.5 GW by 2025.

United States and Emerging New Markets

In the United States, developments are mainly focused on the East Coast, with several prominent projects such as Vineyard Wind (800 MW) off Massachusetts and Ocean Wind (1.1 GW) in New Jersey. The U.S. government aims for a total installed capacity of nearly 30 GW by the end of the decade, necessitating massive investments and significant development of the local supply chain.

Emerging markets such as Indonesia, Chile, and Malta have also recently joined the group of active countries in offshore wind, attracted by the economic opportunities this technology offers. These new entrants primarily seek to diversify their energy mix and strengthen energy independence, leveraging international technological and commercial partnerships.

Floating Wind as a Future Growth Driver

Additionally, floating offshore wind is gaining visibility. RenewableUK forecasts that this technology will account for around 2.5 GW of global capacity by 2030. Among flagship projects is Hywind Tampen in Norway, set to become the world’s largest floating wind installation with a planned capacity of 88 MW. Other significant initiatives are anticipated off California and Scotland, including projects such as California Floating Wind and ScotWind.

Amid this momentum, the global industry faces significant challenges related to rising construction costs, limited availability of key components, and logistical delays, factors potentially affecting timelines for commissioning the most ambitious projects. These structural issues must be managed to enable the sector to reach the symbolic threshold of 100 GW operational by mid-2026, in line with current forecasts.

EDF is delaying the start-up of the Calvados offshore wind farm by more than two years, citing extended adjustments to a drilling tool vital for installing the sixty-four monopile foundations off Courseulles-sur-Mer.
German company NeXtWind signs historic €1.4 billion debt financing to accelerate expansion and modernisation of its onshore wind farms and reach a total capacity of 3 GW by 2028.
Energy company TGS has won a major high-resolution geophysical imaging contract for offshore wind site characterization in Norway, strengthening its position in this rapidly growing market.
Iberdrola Australia secures crucial approval from Australian authorities to begin metocean studies for its 3GW Aurora Green offshore project off the coast of Victoria, marking a decisive stage in its development.
ENGIE begins full operation of the Red Sea Wind Energy wind farm in Egypt, increasing its capacity to 650 MW, four months ahead of schedule, now powering over one million homes in the region.
Tokyo Gas, through TOWII Renewables, a joint venture with EWII, purchases two onshore wind projects developed by Finnish company Puhuri, totalling 74.4 MW, marking its expansion beyond the Danish market.
The European Investment Bank grants EWE AG historic €450mn financing for the installation of 2,600 km of underground power lines and the upgrade of over 1,100 substations in Lower Saxony.
Energiekontor AG confirms financial close for the Nartum wind farm, adding 23 megawatts to its owned portfolio and starting the construction phase in the Rotenburg district, Lower Saxony.
Airloom Energy begins construction of a pilot site in Wyoming to test an innovative turbine aimed at enhancing American energy security in the face of anticipated growth in electricity demand.
ACCIONA Energía transfers the San Juan de Marcona wind farm to Luz del Sur S.A.A., a major player in Peru's energy sector, for up to USD 253 million, pending necessary regulatory approvals.
German operator Encavis AG strengthens its portfolio by acquiring two wind farms in Lower Saxony and Saxony, totalling 59 MW, in a transaction with Energiequelle GmbH, thereby expanding its renewable energy assets.
Ocergy officially launches an industrial project aiming to install by 2028 a new-generation floating wind turbine of over 15 MW, in partnership with EnBW, Kyuden Mirai, and TEPCO Renewable Power.
France officially commissions its first floating wind farm, consisting of three turbines with a combined capacity of 25 megawatts, introducing strategic technology in the Mediterranean, vital for national energy goals.
Inaugurated on 20 June, the five-turbine plant of wpd onshore France feeds 18 MW into the grid and unlocks new tax revenue for four Côtes-d’Armor municipalities.
Statkraft refocuses investments on flexible Nordic hydropower and reduces commitments in offshore wind and hydrogen to lower operating costs, amid an uncertain economic environment and pressured profitability.
Suzlon Group receives third consecutive order from AMPIN Energy Transition to supply 170.1 MW of wind turbines for a project in India's Andhra Pradesh state, strengthening their strategic industrial partnership.
The Muir Mhòr floating wind project secures Aberdeenshire's onshore consent, paving the way for the potential production of one gigawatt of electricity, enough to power up to 1.2 million British homes by the early 2030s.
Iberdrola España and Renfe conclude a virtual power purchase agreement for 370 GWh per year for ten years, strengthening the use of renewable energy in Spanish railway transport.
TotalEnergies has been awarded a concession in the North Sea enabling the development of a 1GW offshore wind project, reinforcing its strategic presence in Germany.
Seabed exploration begins in Jammerland Bay to validate the placement of sixteen turbines and the cable corridor, the first tangible step before construction of the project led by TotalEnergies and European Energy.