Global Offshore Wind Capacity Increased 6.1GW in 2020, Boosted by China

By Jaime Llinares Taboada

The world added 6.1 gigawatts to its offshore wind-power generation capacity last year, a report from the Global Wind Energy Council found.

Offshore wind growth in 2021 was led by China, which contributed to more than half of global capacity expansion during the year. Chinese waters are now home to 28.3% of the world's 35.3 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity, and the country ranks below only the U.K., which accounts for 28.9% of total capacity.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, 2020 was the second-best year to date for offshore wind installations. Only 2019, with 6.2 gigawatts added, was better.

Excluding China, most of the offshore wind growth in 2020 took place in Europe. The Netherlands contributed with 1.5 gigawatts, Belgium installed 706 megawatts and the U.K. expanded its capacity by 483 megawatts.

The outlook for the next decade is promising. GWEC expects more than 235 gigawatts of new offshore wind capacity to be added over the next ten years globally, bringing total installations to 270 gigawatts.

"While those in the industry are bullish about offshore wind's capacity to innovate and deliver competitive costs, the unprecedented scale of deployment required over the next three decades will require political will as much as favorable economics and sustainable expansion of the industrial supply chain," GWEC said in the report.

Write to Jaime Llinares Taboada at [e-mail]; @JaimeLlinaresT

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 09, 2021 06:11 ET (10:11 GMT)

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