Global offshore wind capacity is expected to reach a milestone of 100 GW in 2026, enough electricity to power more than 100 million homes annually, according to the latest EnergyPulse Insights report released by RenewableUK.
The report indicates that there are currently 374 offshore wind farms operating worldwide, compared with 347 a year ago. Over the past 12 months, global offshore wind capacity has grown by 8%, rising from 82.5 GW to 89.2 GW.
In 2025, the sector recorded the fourth-largest annual increase in installed capacity on record, with 8.8 GW commissioned. The report forecasts an even stronger year in 2026, with as much as 18.8 GW expected to come online as projects in China, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, Taiwan, Poland and other markets reach completion.
The global offshore wind project pipeline now includes 1,565 projects with a combined potential capacity of 1,157 GW across 49 markets. This figure covers projects at all stages of development, including operational wind farms, projects under construction, those with planning approval, and projects at earlier development stages.
Looking ahead, RenewableUK forecasts that global operational offshore wind capacity could reach 236 GW by the end of 2030—more than two and a half times the current level. By that time, around 671 offshore wind projects could be fully operational worldwide.
This would exceed the number of nuclear power plants currently operating globally, which stands at 416 according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
In the United Kingdom, operational offshore wind capacity increased from 14.8 GW to 16.1 GW over the past year, while the number of completed wind farms rose from 43 to 45. Another 11.5 GW of capacity is currently under construction, pointing to a significant expansion of the sector in the coming years. In total, the UK has 127 offshore wind projects at various stages of development with a combined capacity of 91.9 GW.
Over the past year, 84% of newly commissioned offshore wind capacity came from just two markets—China and the United Kingdom, which continue to dominate the global offshore wind sector.
The report also notes that about £39 billion in capital investment was committed worldwide in offshore wind projects over the past year, covering projects with a combined capacity of 16.8 GW. In the UK alone, investments in projects awarded contracts in the government’s latest offshore wind auction (Allocation Round 7) could reach £31.5 billion.
