Offshore Wind Worldwide Regulatory Framework in Selected Countries 5th Edition 2024 - Flipbook - Page 327
Offshore Wind Worldwide 2024
327
1. STATE AND FUTURE OF
OFFSHORE WIND PROJECTS
and crucial role in the development of the
global offshore wind sector.” 1
1.1 Current state of offshore wind
development and projects
The UK has long been a world leader for offshore wind and been at the forefront of the
global industry since its inception.
Since the first offshore wind lease in the UK
was signed in 2000, the industry has grown
rapidly and is continuing to expand fast, as
an ever-expanding group of international
developers and investors look for more opportunities in the sector. The UK is now host
to one of the largest existing deployment
of offshore wind energy in the world, with a
large number of further fixed-bottom and
floating projects already in construction or
in the development pipeline.
Today, it continues to be one of the largest
and most exciting offshore wind markets,
providing “an excellent development opportunity, given established market structures, a stable policy outlook and a clear
route to seabed rights. Foremost though,
the UK offers some of the best conditions
for offshore wind development, with long
coastlines, favourable wind conditions and,
in many areas, shallow waters with depths
of 50 metres or less. This world-class natural
resource has enabled the UK to play an early
UK offshore wind generated enough electricity in 2023 to supply the needs of 50%
(14.2m) of UK homes, and 17% of total UK
electricity was generated by offshore wind
in 2023. 2
(Source: The Crown Estate – UK Offshore Wind Report 2023)
1 https://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/media/3321/tce-r4-information-memorandum.pdf.
2 https://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/our-business/marine/offshore-wind-report-2023.
