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.

Ranked: The Largest Power Outages in the U.S. (2013–2023)

Power outages—whether due to operational failures, extreme weather, vandalism, or fuel shortages—can have far-reaching impacts on both customers and utility companies.

Created in partnership with The National Public Utilities Council, this graphic shows the 10 largest power outages in the U.S. from the last decade, using data from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). 

A Decade Of Power Disruptions In Review

The U.S. DOE defines a power outage as an event in which electric service is lost to more than 50,000 customers for one hour or more. 

Between 2013 and 2023, all 10 of the largest U.S. outages—ranked by the number of customers affected—have been due to severe weather events. Hurricanes and winter storms, specifically, have caused eight of the 10 outages. 

Hurricane Irma tops this list by leaving 3.5 million Floridians without power in 2017. Irma was a Category 5 hurricane that impacted the Southeastern state and several island nations, leading to more than $50 billion in damages in Florida alone.

While Florida experienced the largest outage between 2013 and 2023, Texas has the most events in the top 10 list. These were caused by a winter storm in 2021, Hurricane Harvey in 2017, and another winter storm in 2013. 

Investing in a Resilient Grid

The causes of the U.S.’s largest outage events highlight the vulnerability of its transmission infrastructure to extreme weather. 

As of 2023, 70% of U.S. transmission lines were over 25 years old. This makes them more susceptible to power outages, cyber-attacks, and sparking wildfires. 

It is also relevant to note that extreme weather events are increasing in both frequency and intensity due to climate change. Addressing infrastructure vulnerability, therefore, may be a critical aspect of maintaining reliable power in the decades to come.