Benefits of offshore wind

Offshore wind can deliver greater energy security, more stable prices, jobs and economic growth, and a positive impact on climate and nature

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Jobs and sustainable growth

Climate and nature

Large and stable green energy

Offshore wind: Delivering what fossil fuels can't

Offshore wind provides homegrown energy at gigawatt scale, offering security of independence from fossil fuels and a far greater degree of price stability, and benefits for biodiversity. It's already created tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs across local and national economies – and of course, a massive reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

This technology has become the cornerstone of many countries' renewable energy systems, balancing supply with solar and onshore wind. Thanks to its scale and efficiency, and the concentration of power-hungry cities and industries near to coastlines, offshore wind is also essential to meet the growing need for electricity. Demand is expected to double between 2025 and 2050, thanks to the electrification of industry and everyday life.

What offshore wind can deliver

Jobs and sustainable growth

It takes person power to build, operate, and maintain renewable energy infrastructure. That means more direct employment, plus business for suppliers and sub-suppliers, for every gigawatt constructed. But beyond this, reliable, homegrown renewable energy can help sustain existing jobs in the long term, by supplying industries with the affordable, reliable, clean energy they need. This depends in part on the electrification of industries that traditionally rely on fossil fuels, and the ability of renewable energy developers to deliver the volumes needed to power their electrified processes. If both sides are achieved, this can become a positive feedback loop, multiplying economic benefits across society.

Underwater view of kelp fronds swaying in blue, backlit water.

Climate and nature

Renewable energy is the best tool the world’s already got for combatting the climate crisis. The scale and reliability of offshore wind make it the most important source of energy to meet the growing demand for carbon-free electricity. It generates the most consistent and greatest volume of power, with direct access to coastal areas to where there tend to be concentrations of population and industry. We also know that offshore wind can be built in a way that helps combat the adjacent crisis of biodiversity loss, protecting and enhancing habitats which are themselves an important part of the solution to climate change.

Large and stable green energy

Placing a wind farm offshore doesn't just mean reducing visual amenity. Spread out over a larger area compared to onshore renewables, and accessing a higher wind speed, an offshore wind farm can generate commercial scale volumes of electricity. Even as wind speeds vary naturally, the offshore wind farms can produce electricity for more than 90% of a year.

How can offshore wind deliver on its potential? Our report outlines forward-thinking policies and industry commitments that could unlock the potential of offshore wind to provide affordable, secure, clean energy, generating jobs and enhancing energy independence.