Visualized: Offshore Wind Installations by Region (2023–2033)

In order to meet the 1.5°C trajectory outlined in the Paris Agreement, the world will need 380 GW of offshore cumulative wind capacity by 2030, expanding to 2,000 GW by 2050. But can it be achieved?

The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) projects the upcoming offshore wind installations for each region in their Global Offshore Wind Report 2024.

This streamgraph, created in partnership with the National Public Utilities Council, shows the offshore wind installations of each region from 2023–2033, as projected by GWEC.

The Future Projections

The GWEC says that annual offshore wind installations will move from 10.9 GW in 2023 to 66.0 GW by 2033. The growth will elevate offshore wind’s share of new wind power installations from today’s 9% to at least 25%.

In 2033, Europe and China are expected to lead, with 43% and 30% of global installations, respectively. The U.S., despite its ambitious goals, will contribute just 8% of new capacity in the same year.

Here is a regional breakdown of projected future offshore wind installations in GW.

California leads the U.S. efforts, targeting 25.0 GW in cumulative installations by 2045, followed by New Jersey at 11.0 GW. Despite its smaller population, Maryland aims to nearly match New York’s 9.0 GW with a target of 8.5 GW.

The U.S. has already taken strides, bringing online its first utility-scale project, Vineyard Wind 1, which added 0.8 GW to the grid.

With over 25 GW in various stages of development, the Biden administration’s goal is 30 GW by 2030, and has aspirations for 110 GW by 2050. The Inflation Reduction Act, passed under the same administration, previously allocated $392.5 billion in clean energy and climate spending.

The Economic Benefits of Offshore Wind

The American Clean Power Association (ACP) projects that the high scenario of an installation rate of 3 GW per year, with 60% domestic content, could generate $25.0 billion annually and support over 83,000 jobs by 2030.

Recent area lease auctions, such as those in the New York Bight and Carolina Long Bay, have fetched record-breaking bids totalling over $4.3 billion.

Decarbonization requires sustained effort, but with strategic investments and a commitment to innovation, offshore wind could be the wind beneath the wings of a sustainable energy future.

Visualized: Countries by Grid Storage Battery Capacity in 2023

According to the International Energy Agency, 1,300 GW of battery storage will be needed by 2030 to support the renewable energy capacity required to meet the 1.5°C global warming target. But how close is the world to reaching that target?

The Energy Institute’s annual Statistical Review of World Energy reveals the grid storage battery capacity of every country in 2023.

This treemap, created in partnership with the National Public Utilities Council, visualizes which countries had the most grid-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) in 2023.

The U.S. and China’s Acceleration

China has nearly half the world’s grid storage battery capacity and keeps growing at a breakneck pace. From 2022 to 2023, the country added over 19 gigawatts of storage to its grid, moving from 7.8 to 27.1 GW.

The U.S. also significantly increased its capacity in 2023, moving from 9.3 to 15.8 GW. The two largest economies account for over three-quarters of the world’s grid storage battery capacity. California’s 8.6 GW is the largest capacity of any state and more than twice that of second-place Texas.

Although Canada had only 0.4 GW of storage capacity in 2023, it quadrupled its capacity from the previous year. However, its 426% annual growth rate is still not the highest of the top 10 countries.

It was South Africa that had the largest growth rate of capacity in 2023 due to its new facility in Worcester. Its annual growth rate was 29,300%.

Not all countries in the top 10 are experiencing significant growth. Ireland and Germany’s capacities only grew by 28% from the previous year. Meanwhile, South Korea’s capacity remained the same.

A Promising Future

The International Energy Agency estimates that 1,300 GW of battery storage will be needed by 2030 to support the renewable energy capacity required to meet the 1.5°C global warming target.

Despite ongoing regulatory challenges, such as inadequate environmental protection, the total global grid storage battery capacity in 2023 reached 55.7 GW. This marked a 120.8% increase from the previous year.

At a 120.8% growth rate, the 2030 target will be met two years early, in 2028.