UK installed more than 2GW of offshore wind in 2018

RenewableUK says the record-breaking amount of new capacity is enough to power enough to power 2,300,000 homes

The UK installed more than 2GW of new offshore wind capacity in 2018.

RenewableUK says the record-breaking volume that went operational in UK waters through the year is enough to power more than 2,300,000 homes with clean electricity.

It total, eight new offshore wind farms were opened, nearly doubling the previous annual record of 1,154MW recorded in 2012.

Since the previous record, the average capacity of an offshore turbine has soared from 3.7MW to 5.8MW, allowing the near-doubling of capacity to be reached with just 18% more turbines in place.

The world’s largest operational offshore wind farm, the 659MW Walney Extension facility, was completed this year, as well as the 400MW Rampion site and 573MW Race Bank.

RenewableUK’s Executive Director Emma Pinchbeck said: “We’re thrilled that we’ve absolutely smashed previous records and installed more new offshore wind power stations than ever before.

“This is just the beginning of the great shift to renewables. By 2030, offshore wind could be generating more than a third of the UK’s entire electricity needs, with 30GW up and running.”

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