Floating wind could supply one-third of UK offshore wind capacity by 2050, says Heligan

According to a new infrastructure report from Heligan Group, floating wind remains the main driver of the sector, delivering an expected one-third of the UK’s offshore wind capacity by 2050, and generating 175 TWh annually.

The 2024 strategy from the joint government–industry Floating Offshore Wind Taskforce outlines a £47 billion opportunity, with potential to create 97 000 jobs and cement the UK’s position as a global leader in floating wind technology. UK government auctions, including the Celtic Sea leasing round completed in 2025, have awarded up to 4.5 GW of capacity, marking a major milestone for the offshore wind industry.

Andrew Dickinson, Head of Infrastructure Services at Heligan Group, said: “Delivering this future will require industrial scale infrastructure. Turbines and platforms must be assembled onshore and deployed at sea, demanding reinforced ports, heavy-lift capacity, and marine logistics.

“The UK already holds one of the largest floating wind pipelines globally and is ahead of most markets in project development, with over 30 000 people currently working in the UK’s bottom-fixed offshore wind sector. This figure could rise to more than 100 000 by 2030 as floating wind rapidly emerges as a key pillar of the UK’s future energy and infrastructure strategy.

“Yet, the UK is at risk of falling behind without the infrastructure to deliver at scale. No UK port is currently equipped to support commercial floating wind deployment, creating a critical bottleneck.”

Momentum is building with major investments beginning to unlock delivery capacity, including:

• £55 million is being invested in the Port of Cromarty Firth to support floating wind manufacturing.
• ABP is committing over £500 million to transform Port Talbot into a major hub for the Celtic Sea.
• Up to 11 ports are earmarked for transformation, with £3.5 billion of investment needed by 2030.

Meanwhile, EU-backed Green Deal Industrial Plan reforms and national support schemes are accelerating port investment across Europe, creating cross-border competition to secure industrial-scale assembly, modular fabrication, and export capacity.

“Overall, floating infrastructure is a catalyst for a new wave of strategic investment and consolidation, with floating wind emerging as the most attractive investment opportunity,” Dickinson continued.

“The sector is moving beyond early-stage innovation into industrial-scale deployment, and that shift will reshape the M&A outlook. I expect consolidators to emerge from marine engineering, offshore energy, and modular construction, with PE-backed platforms targeting scalable delivery models across wind, solar, and hybrid systems.

“Environmental consultancies with embedded biodiversity and permitting expertise will be highly sought after, particularly as compliance becomes a prerequisite for project execution. Businesses that can demonstrate traction in government frameworks, port infrastructure partnerships, and cross-sector integration will command premium valuations. With Europe leading the charge and the UK positioned as a global hub, the next five years will see a race to build capability, secure delivery capacity, and own the water,” concluded Dickinson.

For more news and technical articles from the global renewable industry, read the latest issue of Energy Global magazine.

Energy Global’s Summer 2026 issue

The Summer issue of 2026 is out now! The new issue starts with a regional report on Latin America and the Caribbean, considering the benefits and challenges of renewable energy development in the region. The issue also covers topics such as lubricants, digitalisation, the importance of ports, battery storage technology, and more! With contributors from industry leaders including ABB, WindEurope, Sungrow, among others, this is an issue not to miss.

Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/wind/04082026/floating-wind-could-supply-one-third-of-uk-offshore-wind-capacity-by-2050-says-heligan/