UK secures record supply of offshore wind projects

The UK awarded contracts totalling about 8.4GW of offshore wind projects across England, Scotland and Wales, including the planned Berwick Bank farm; officials say these additions help progress the government’s 43GW offshore target for 2030, while analysts warn delivering the capacity by 2030 will be challenging.

The UK has awarded contracts for a record set of offshore wind projects as part of its strategy to grow clean electricity supply. The awards cover sites in England, Scotland and Wales and include Berwick Bank, planned to be the largest offshore wind farm worldwide. The government has set a target of at least 95% of Great Britain’s electricity from clean sources by 2030 and wants 43 gigawatts of offshore wind by that year. Current offshore wind capacity is 16.6GW, with a further 11.7GW under construction. Key facts: - The latest auction secured about 8.4GW of new offshore wind capacity. - Berwick Bank is the largest successful project and is planned as the biggest offshore wind farm worldwide. - Other awarded projects include Dogger Bank South, Norfolk Vanguard and Awel Y Mor, the first successful Welsh project in more than a decade. - The government’s targets include 43GW of offshore wind by 2030 and at least 95% clean electricity for Great Britain by 2030. - Current capacity stands at 16.6GW with 11.7GW under construction, and the auction awarded an average fixed price of £91 per MWh (2024 prices). Summary: The contract awards represent a substantial increase in contracted offshore wind capacity and help keep the 43GW target within reach. Building the projects and connecting them to the grid will take time, and analysts say getting that amount of capacity online by 2030 will be extremely challenging.