Last year saw the second-highest rate of offshore wind installations, as well as policy developments setting the stage for industry expansion over the next decade, says Global Wind Energy Council’s (GWEC) Global Offshore Wind Report 2024.
Per the report, the industry installed 10.8 GW of new capacity, bringing the worldwide total to 75.2 GW. New capacity increased 24% over the previous year.
In the next 10 years, GWEC forecasts that 410 GW of new offshore wind capacity will be installed, bringing offshore wind deployment in line with global targets to install 380 GW by 2030.
“Governments around the world are choosing offshore wind for their people and their economies,” says Rebecca Williams, GWEC’s chief strategy officer, offshore wind.
“We have reached the point in mature markets where the technology is now proven to have the ability to save households money versus conventional energy sources. This new wave of offshore wind markets are taking notice and making progress of their own, in some cases outgrowing the ‘emerging’ label thanks to strong collaboration between industry and policymakers. It is vital to continue that cooperation, particularly in this year of significant elections around the world, to ensure targets become turbines and more markets develop in the wake of this decade’s expansion.”
