By any standards the growth in Europe's offshore wind capacity over the past few years has been remarkable. A total of only 1.471GW had been installed by the end of 2008. By the end of September 2013 it stood at 6.457GW, an increase of nearly 440% in under five years. And this has been achieved against the backdrop of the deepest and longest economic recession since the 1930s.
A clear north-south divide has now emerged, with the UK, Germany, Belgium and the Scandinavian countries pressing ahead with their offshore projects, while progress has practically halted in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece. France and the Netherlands lie somewhere between, well behind schedule, but still committed to adding a significant amount of offshore wind to their renewable energy mix.
- Home grown plans - France
- Progress picks up pace - Germany
- No lift-off in Iberian waters - Spain/ Portugal
- Switching tariffs onshore - Italy
- Moving the goalposts - Netherlands
- Success in planning - Belgium
- Early adopter on track - Denmark
- Above and beyond - Sweden
- Pipeline shows offshore interest - Finland
