Norway does not actually need offshore wind farms for power - nearly all its electricity comes from renewables already - but instead sees the sector as a means of helping its vast oil and gas industry secure a new, low-carbon business model for the future.

114 GW of new wind capacity was added globally in 2020, representing an 82% increase year-over-year (YoY)

Offshore wind farms can take advantage of major wind streams out in the ocean without taking up valuable real estate inland.

The Sofia wind farm will be located 195 kilometres (121.2 miles) off the UK’s North East coast in the shallow area of the central North Sea, known as Dogger Bank. Once fully operational, it will be capable of producing electricity for 1.2 million UK homes per year.

The wind farm complex will be located some 35km to 60km (21.7 miles to 37.3 miles) off the coast of Changhua County.

Spanish utility group Iberdrola SA (BME:IBE) has signed a joint-venture (JV) agreement with Cosmo Eco Power Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Cosmo Energy Holdings Co Ltd (TYO:5021), and Hitachi Zosen Corp (TYO:7004) to co-develop the 600-MW Seihoku-oki offshore wind project in Japan.

After this record year for wind turbine capacity additions, total wind turbine capacity in the United States is now 118 GW.

The US offshore wind market is expected to grow several-fold increase in capacity, from 2020 levels of (42 MW) to estimated ~28 GW by 2030

The offshore wind industry installed just over 6 GW of new capacity globally in 2020, nearly the same levels as the previous year.

Turkey wind energy contributed to over 10% of the country's total electric production for the first time.