UK Offshore Wind Roadmap: Powering Towards the 2030 Target
Offshore wind is the backbone of the UK’s clean-energy strategy. It sits at the centre of Britain’s plan to become a clean-energy superpower, cutting exposure to volatile gas markets and reducing the influence of petrostates on household energy bills. With the world’s largest operational offshore wind farm already in British waters, the UK is a global leader — but far more capacity is needed to meet the government’s 2030 goals.
Where the UK Stands
According to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan (July 2024), the UK currently has about 14.8 GW of offshore wind installed. The government’s “Clean Power Capacity Range” sets a 2030 target of 43–50 GW of offshore wind (rising to about 55 GW including ~5 GW of floating wind in some policy statements). For context, the UK has 14.2 GW of onshore wind today with a 27 GW range by 2030, and 16.6 GW of solar with a 45–47 GW range by 2030.
Status, Pipeline & Risks
Industry groups warn that delivery must speed up to meet these targets. Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) estimates that without faster deployment the UK might reach only around 35 GW of offshore wind by 2030, well below the lower end of the government’s range. Rising capital costs, supply-chain bottlenecks and longer project timelines are cited as core risks.
An Energy Industries Council (EIC) analysis from August 2025 echoes these concerns, finding that the broader 55 GW ambition (including floating wind) is also at risk, with only about 43 GW realistically achievable under current conditions.
Key bottlenecks include:
Specialist vessels: Only five of roughly 80 installation vessels in Europe can handle 14–15 MW turbines, sharply limiting capacity for UK projects.
Ports: Expansions can take 6–10 years from permit to operation — far longer than the project timelines needed to meet 2030 goals.
Project progress: Despite a pipeline of roughly 96 GW across more than 80 projects, only seven have reached Final Investment Decision (FID), leaving much of the pipeline stalled.
Roadmap Actions
The updated offshore wind roadmap sets out how auction reforms, streamlined planning and grid upgrades will unlock more projects at lower cost while expanding the UK supply chain and creating jobs. Industry recommendations include aligning FIDs with port capacity and auction dates, accelerating port development, and giving the supply chain a more predictable flow of work and capital. These steps are intended to close the gap to the 2030 target and strengthen the UK’s position as the world’s largest offshore wind market.