The UK is ‘not currently on track’ to deliver between 43 GW and 51 GW of offshore wind capacity by the end of the decade, in line with the Clean Power 2030 target, a new report from Offshore Energies UK has found.
The 2025 Offshore Wind Insight report warns that without ‘swift and decisive action’, the UK may only reach 35 GW by the end of the decade, falling far short of the government’s plan to decarbonise the electricity grid.
The forthcoming Allocation Round 7 (AR7) will need to approve 8.4 GW of offshore wind capacity to “maintain the course” toward the 2030 goal, Thibaut Cheret, OEUK’s wind and renewables manager, commented.
Floating offshore wind
According to Cheret, floating offshore wind (FOW) is expected to surpass fixed-bottom offshore wind in investment by 2033, becoming a key part of the UK’s green energy future.
“More than 50 years oil and gas experience means that our UK supply chain is well equipped to capture a sizeable stake of the floating wind market, but a significant portion of the spend required is beyond the reach of many UK companies, which highlights the need for strategic investment in innovation, skills and infrastructure,” he noted.
“Getting this right means the UK can become a market leader in wind power generation and play a major part in delivering a homegrown energy transition.”
Offshore wind provided 17.2% of the UK’s electricity in 2024, outperforming onshore wind generation due to the larger scale of offshore turbines and more consistent wind conditions at sea.
Development plans
OEUK has called for development plans to be ‘front-loaded’ in order to meet the Clean Power 2030 targets, adding that timely delivery of transmission infrastructure will be ‘essential’.
It also notes that the £65 billion that will be invested in offshore wind in the UK over the next five years has the potential to ‘transform’ the growth outlook for the UK, ensuring the development of a competitive, homegrown energy supply chain. Read more here.
