Global capacity of offshore wind power 2009-2023

Offshore wind energy capacity worldwide has been on a continual annual growth since at least 2009. In 2023, the global offshore wind capacity reached 72,663 megawatts, an increase compared to the previous year. In 2021, more than 21,000 megawatts of offshore wind power were newly installed and connected to the grid.

Bottom-fixed vs. floating wind turbines

Offshore wind farms are located over bodies of water – usually in the sea – where wind reaches higher speeds than land. Two main different types of turbines can be found in offshore wind farms: bottom-fixed turbines are built on fixed foundations in shallow waters, whereas floating turbines are assembled on floating structures in deeper waters, where bottom-fixed farms cannot be installed. Overall, floating farms allow more area to be exploited for wind energy generation, reduce visibility from the shore, and can be assembled in areas with more powerful and constant winds. As of 2021, China was the leading country in total offshore wind capacity.

Offshore wind energy in Europe

Europe was the leading region in offshore wind, holding the largest wind farms across the globe in 2021. Within Europe, the United Kingdom has the highest offshore wind power capacity, at some 12.5 gigawatts. This was followed by Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Belgium. Altogether, Europe’s offshore capacity is large enough to account for all the regional power demand.