A new report from the US Department of Energy shows the dramatic growth in offshore wind developments around the world, and specifically in the US.
The report, Offshore Wind Technologies Market Report: 2021 Edition, indicates that the global offshore wind energy industry installed 5,519 MW of capacity in 2020, contributing to cumulative installed capacity of 32,906 MW. With 23,415 MW of projects currently under construction, annual capacity additions are accelerating.
In the US, the offshore wind energy pipeline grew in 2020 to 35,324 MW – 24% over the 28,521 MW reported in 2019.
“A major factor driving offshore wind energy in the United States is individual state policy commitments,” says the report. “In 2020, three states made major increases in their offshore wind energy policy commitments” – Virginia, Massachusetts and North Carolina.
The two largest US projects in the pipeline include the 30 MW Block Island Wind Farm off Rhode Island and the 12 MW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind pilot project.
The report revealed that larger turbines are behind lower offshore wind energy costs.
The report provides information about technology and market trends in the US and global offshore wind energy industries.
