Offshore wind power

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Offshore wind power or offshore wind energy is the generation of electricity through wind farms in bodies of water, usually at sea. Due to a lack of obstacles at sea versus on land, higher wind speeds tend to be observed at sea, which increases the amount of power that can be generated per wind turbine. Offshore wind farms are also less controversial than those on land, as they have less impact on people and the landscape. Unlike the typical use of the term "offshore" in the marine industry, offshore wind power includes inshore water areas such as lakes, fjords and sheltered coastal areas as well as deeper-water areas. Most offshore wind farms employ fixed-foundation wind turbines in relatively shallow water. Floating wind turbines for deeper waters are in an earlier phase of development and deployment. As of 2022, the total worldwide offshore wind power nameplate capacity was 64.3 gigawatts (GW). China (49%), the United Kingdom (22%), and Germany (13%) account for more than 75% of the...

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