The UK created more than half of Europe’s new offshore wind capacity last year
In 2017 the UK’s newly installed offshore wind facilities accounted for more than 50% of Europe’s additional capacity.
The UK installed 53% - or 1.68MW – of the continent’s total capacity, which reached 3.15GW.
According to WindEurope, the capacity tops the previous record set in 2015, and is a 25% improvement from 2016.
There are more than 500 turbines connected to the grid, with the average one installed in 2017 having more than one fifth greater capacity than any previously installed generators.
Approximately 17 offshore wind farms were on average a third more powerful than older farms.
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This year also saw the first installation of floating offshore wind generators – with France inaugurating its single floating turbine, and Statoil launching Hywind Scotland.
Developers of offshore wind are currently aiming for the use of 8MW to 9MW turbines, which goals for reaching 13MW to 15MW by 2023.
“We’ll be beyond that in the next decade, there’s no reason to think we won’t,” the Gaurdian announced Giles Dickson, CEO of WindEurope, saying.
Dickson was noted saying that we are yet to reach restrictions on wind turbines, enabling their capacity to grow.
