UK wind power has reached a landmark 30GW, providing enough energy to power 26 million homes.

The Viking Wind Farm, which added 443MW to the grid, has become the UK’s most productive onshore wind farm.

Wind energy plays a critical role in the UK’s transition to becoming a clean energy superpower, helping to reduce carbon emissions by over 35 million tonnes annually.

The UK's journey towards this milestone marks a major step in its commitment to reducing carbon emissions. The latest boost in capacity comes from the Viking Wind Farm on the Shetland Islands, pushing the total wind power capacity beyond 30GW. This includes both onshore and offshore installations, which collectively now stand at 30,299MW.

According to RenewableUK’s EnergyPulse, this capacity can meet the electricity needs of over 26 million homes annually and reduce carbon emissions by more than 35 million tonnes each year. In 2023, renewable energy sources provided a record 46.4% of the UK’s electricity, with wind power contributing 28.1% of the total.

The expansion of wind capacity in the UK has been impressive. From the first onshore wind farm in Cornwall in 1991 to the first offshore wind project off Blyth in 2000, the growth has been rapid. The country hit 1GW of capacity by 2005, 5GW by 2010, 10GW by 2013, and 15GW by 2017. In just seven years, this capacity has doubled to 30GW.

Ana Musat, Executive Director of Policy & Engagement at RenewableUK, highlighted the importance of this progress: “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. 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.”

The Viking Wind Farm, developed over 15 years with a £1.2 billion investment, is a key contributor to this milestone. With 103 turbines, it is set to generate around 1.8 terawatt hours (TWh) of renewable electricity annually. The farm takes advantage of Shetland’s strong winds and is connected to the grid through a 260km subsea cable.

Stephen Wheeler, Managing Director of SSE Renewables, emphasized the farm’s impact: “We’re thrilled that the delivery of our Viking Wind Farm takes the UK’s wind power capacity past the 30GW mark. Viking will now play a major role in the UK’s net zero transition, harnessing Shetland’s unparalleled wind resource to become the country’s most productive onshore wind farm.”

Looking forward, the UK plans to further increase its wind capacity. Musat added: “Our research shows doubling the UK’s onshore wind capacity by the end of the decade would boost the economy by £45 billion and create 27,000 jobs. Moving to an electricity system dominated by offshore wind by 2035 would leave consumers around £68 a year better off.”

While reaching the 30GW milestone is a significant achievement, the UK is aware of the need to continue accelerating its efforts to achieve a zero-carbon energy system by the end of this decade.