The two largest projects brought online, the 576MW Gwynt y Mor and 389MW West of Duddon Sands, were both in UK waters. Along with the 24MW Hunterston Test Centre and 7MW Samsung Energy Park Fife, they brought new UK projects to 996MW. The annual data is recorded in WPO Intelligence, the offshore research and data division of Windpower Monthly.
Germany only managed to bring one project online in 2014, the 113MW Riffgat project in the North Sea. While the 288MW Meerwind Süd/Ost is complete, it is yet to be fully commissioned as it is waiting for the completion of testing of the HelWin 1 transmission system.
Belgium also commissioned a single project, the 216MW Northwind development.
Next year is expected to see a rapid acceleration in global activity, with 4.8GW due to come online.
After a slow 2014, Germany is expected to dominate, with 2.4GW lined up to be commissioned in 2015. This includes the 400MW Global Tech 1.
The Chinese market is also expected to take off next year, with 1.5GW due to be brought online. Following several false starts for China's offshore industry, the introduction of a specific feed-in tariff should see the country finally moving into large-scale deployment.
South Korea is set to make its first moves into offshore wind, with 264MW lined up to come online in 2015. However, a dispute with the Korean air force may delay the 84MW Daejeong project.
A slowdown is expected in the UK, with 478MW due to be commissioned over 2015.
