Global Offshore Wind Capacity Reaches 14.4GW in 2016

2,219MW of installed offshore wind capacity was added worldwide in 2016, bringing the total to 14,384MW, according to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).

2016 brought a significant slowdown in momentum when compared to the record-breaking 2015 when 3,443MW of installed capacity was added, almost two thirds of which was commissioned in Germany.

However, 2017 is expected to top the 2015 numbers, with Europe alone scheduled to contribute with 3GW of new offshore wind capacity throughout this year.

Looking at 2016, Europe once again contributed the most to the overall number, with a total of 1,567MW of commissioned offshore wind capacity spread across a total of seven wind farms.

Germany added 813MW of new capacity, the Netherlands 691MW, and the UK 56MW. A 2MW floating pilot project was decommissioned in Portugal in 2016.

In Asia, China added further 592MW worth of commissioned offshore wind farm capacity, bringing the country’s total to 1,627MW as of the end of 2016.

South Korea commissioned further 30MW and now has a total of 35MW of installed offshore wind capacity, and Japan added 7MW of new capacity, bringing its total to 60MW.

North America also contributed to the global offshore wind installed capacity with the commissioning of the 30MW Block Island wind farm off Rhode Island, USA.

Offshore WIND Staff