The UK has reached a milestone in wind energy, with the country’s total wind power capacity now exceeding 30 gigawatts (GW).
This achievement comes after the opening of SSE Renewables’ Viking Wind Farm on the Shetland Islands, which added 443 megawatts (MW) to the national grid.
According to RenewableUK’s EnergyPulse, the total combined capacity of onshore and offshore wind power in the UK now stands at 30,299 MW.
This capacity is enough to supply electricity to over 26 million homes and reduce carbon emissions by more than 35 million tonnes each year.
Wind energy has become the largest source of renewable power in the UK, contributing 28.1% of the country’s electricity in 2023.
The rapid growth in wind capacity, from 15GW in 2017 to 30GW today, reflects the industry’s expansion over the past few decades.
The Viking Wind Farm, with 103 turbines, will be the UK’s most productive onshore wind farm, generating around 1.8 terawatt hours (TWh) of renewable electricity annually.
It has been in development for about 15 years and represents a £1.2 billion private investment.
RenewableUK’s Executive Director of Policy and Engagement, Ana Musat, said: “It took 26 years to install the first 15GW of wind energy in the UK, so to double that to 30GW in just seven years represents a tremendous success for the industry.
“As the latest record-breaking figures from the government show, wind is the backbone of our future energy system and a key driver of our transition away from expensive and volatile fossil fuels to become a clean energy superpower.”
Stephen Wheeler, Managing Director of SSE Renewables, added: “We’re thrilled the delivery of our Viking Wind Farm takes the UK’s wind power capacity past the 30GW mark.
“As the largest onshore wind farm to be built in the UK in nearly ten years, the completion of the project is a big moment in its own right – and contributing to this milestone for the industry makes it even more special.”
