Global offshore wind set to hit 100GW

China and the UK remain dominant.

The global offshore wind industry is set to reach 100 gigawatts (GW) of operational capacity this year, according to RenewableUK’s latest EnergyPulse Insights report.

Currently, 374 offshore wind farms operate worldwide, up from 347 a year ago. Global capacity rose 8% over the past 12 months, from 82.5GW to 89.2GW.

In 2025, 8.8GW of new capacity came online, the fourth-largest annual increase on record. The report forecasts 18.8GW could be added in 2026, with projects in China, the UK, Germany, the US, Taiwan, and Poland.

The offshore wind pipeline now includes 1,565 projects at all stages of development, totalling 1,157GW across 49 markets. This includes operational projects, those under construction, consented, submitted for planning approval, and in early-stage development.

The report predicts that 236GW of offshore wind could be operational worldwide by 2030—more than two and a half times current capacity.

By that time, 671 offshore wind projects are expected to be online, surpassing the 416 nuclear power stations operating globally, according to the International Atomic Energy Authority.

China and the UK continue to dominate the sector, accounting for 84% of the capacity added over the past year and leading the global project pipeline at all stages of development.

The offshore wind sector attracted £39b in capital investment globally over the last 12 months, supporting 16.8GW of projects.