RenewableUK’s new EnergyPulse data report says that the UK’s pipeline of offshore wind projects has reached 97.94GW, up from 91.29GW a year ago, while the global pipeline topped 1.23TW, a figure which has increased almost 500GW in a year.
The UK has the second biggest pipeline globally, with only China’s 157GW pipeline being bigger. The US is in third place with 82GW, Sweden has the fourth largest at 75GW, and Brazil is fifth with 63GW.
The UK led the world in operational offshore wind capacity at the end of 2020 at 10.4GW, but was surpassed by China in 2021 which reached 16.9GW. China has built another 5GW since then, and now accounts for 48% of global capacity in offshore wind.
‘UK Offshore Wind pipeline nears 100GW as Global pipeline tops 1.23TW’ – RenewableUK Media Release
— RenewableUK (@RenewableUK) June 12, 2023
📈 @RenewableUK’s latest #EnergyPulse market intelligence data report shows that the UK’s pipeline of offshore wind projects has reached 97,944 MW, up from 91,287MW a year ago,… pic.twitter.com/1rAinQDo3a
Commenting on the statistics, RenewableUK’s CEO Dan McGrail said: ‘‘These latest Energy Pulse figures show that both the UK and global offshore wind pipeline is continuing to grow at pace, with new projects coming forward on a massive scale.” McGrail said the UK could not afford to be complacent about its position as one of the leading offshore wind producers.
“Recent developments such as the Inflation Reduction Act in the USA and the EU’s Green Industrial Deal have increased competition for investment. We must double down on our efforts to support and accelerate offshore wind development, and I’d encourage the Chancellor to bring forward new measures in the Autumn Budget to incentivise manufacturing investment into the UK that might otherwise go overseas,” McGrail added.
While the UK has significant offshore wind capacity, our total wind capacity per head is only 13th in the OECD, behind most of Western Europe.
— Common Wealth (@Cmmonwealth) June 9, 2023
A major publicly owned energy generator, and an end to the de facto ban on onshore wind, can help redress this.
(chart: @chrismwhayes) pic.twitter.com/1DDdMm1At7
However, nonprofit group Common Wealth said that total wind capacity per capita in the UK was only 13th in the OECD.
The UK has been attracting global corporations like Japan’s Sumitomo, who are investing £4 billion in the UK offshore wind sector.
RenewableUK has criticised the latest round of the UK government’s Contracts for Difference scheme, launched in March, which it said was not ambitious enough in scope, with a budget of only £205 million, compared to a fourth round budget of £285 million.
“Unfortunately, in the light of global inflationary pressures, the budget and parameters set for this year’s CfD auction are currently too low and too tight to unlock all the potential investment in wind, solar and tidal stream projects which the industry could deliver,” said RenewableUK markets manager Michael Chesser.