Offshore wind farms in UK waters generated sufficient energy to fulfill the electrical energy wants of 41% (11.5m) of the nation’s properties in a brand new report yr in 2022, in line with the newest Offshore Wind Report from The Crown Property.
In complete Offshore Wind generated 45TWh of electrical energy final yr, up from 37TWh in 2021 and a sixfold enhance over the previous 10 years, and is estimated to be producing sufficient electrical energy to fulfill the wants of practically half (47%) of UK properties by the top of the present yr. The brand new report was achieved regardless of 2022 wind speeds coming in decrease than the long-term common.
Final yr noticed numerous key developments within the UK offshore wind sector. Hornsea 2, the world’s largest offshore wind farm with capability to energy 1.1m properties, turned absolutely operational, as did Moray East off the North East coast of Scotland. There at the moment are 50 wind farms in UK waters that are both working or beneath development, with one other seven which have secured a Contract for Distinction (CfD). There’s additionally a major improvement pipeline, together with as much as 8GW of extra capability to return from the Spherical 4 tasks that signed Agreements for Lease with The Crown Property in early 2023.
Internationally, the UK continues to be on the forefront of offshore wind and is essentially the most engaging place to take a position. In 2022, UK offshore wind capability accounted for twenty-four% of world capability, second solely to China, with continued progress to push arduous to fulfill the Authorities’s goal of 50GW of offshore wind capability by 2030.
Gus Jaspert, Managing Director for Marine, The Crown Property, mentioned:
 “The UK’s offshore wind sector continues to be a world chief and a UK success story. Now producing sufficient electrical energy to fulfill the wants of greater than 40 per cent of UK properties, the sector is having a significant affect on assembly the nationwide challenges of power safety and decarbonisation to handle local weather change.
“This success comes from years of arduous work, collaboration and innovation throughout a very numerous vary of companions and industries. However we are able to’t cease there. We have to obtain extra within the subsequent decade than now we have within the final two if we’re to assist the UK meet its clear, safe power ambitions. With extra calls for than ever on the nation’s invaluable seabed, we should work throughout sectors to rigorously plan the right way to unlock its full potential while supporting a thriving pure world for the good thing about the nation.”
The 2022 report covers a variety of information and metrics related to the UK offshore wind sector. Different highlights from the report embrace:
- Offshore wind offered 14% of complete UK electrical energy technology (enterprise and home), in comparison with 38% from fuel
- The typical measurement of an working wind farm stands at 0.3GW, whereas the typical measurement of a wind farm beneath development is 1.1GW
- Complete UK working capability elevated from 11.3GW in 2021 to 13.7GW in 2022, whereas international capability elevated from 48GW to 57GW in the identical interval
- The UK’s 2022 offshore wind output of 45TWh saved the equal of 17m tonnes of CO2 emissions
For extra data, together with entry to key information charts and the complete downloadable report, please go to the 2022 Offshore Wind Report part of our web site.
