The biggest offshore wind developments are happening across the North Sea, the US Atlantic coast, and rapidly expanding markets in Asia. Projects like Hornsea in the UK and Dogger Bank are setting new records for installed capacity, with individual farms now capable of powering millions of homes. The sector is growing fast, and the scale of new projects is increasing every year. Below, we answer the most common questions about offshore wind developments worldwide.
Where are the largest offshore wind farms located?
The largest offshore wind farms in the world are located in the North Sea, primarily off the coasts of the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. The UK leads in total installed offshore wind capacity, with the Hornsea complex off the Yorkshire coast standing as the largest in the world. Other major installations operate in Danish, German, Belgian, and Chinese waters.
The Hornsea One and Hornsea Two projects together already represent a combined capacity of over 2.5 GW. Hornsea Three, currently under development, will push that figure even higher. Beyond the North Sea, China has become a major player, with large-scale farms operating off the coasts of Jiangsu and Guangdong provinces. The US is catching up fast, with projects off the coasts of Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey now moving from planning into construction and operation.
Which offshore wind projects are currently under construction?
Several of the world’s largest offshore wind projects are currently under construction as of 2026. These include Dogger Bank in the UK, which is being built in three phases and will become the world’s largest single offshore wind farm upon completion. Large-scale projects are also under construction in the Netherlands, Germany, the US, and Taiwan.
Here is a snapshot of major projects in active development or construction:
- Dogger Bank A, B & C (UK) — a three-phase project with a total planned capacity of around 3.6 GW
- Hollandse Kust West (Netherlands) — expanding the already significant Dutch offshore wind capacity in the North Sea
- Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind (US) — among the first large-scale commercial offshore wind farms on the US East Coast
- Changhua Offshore Wind Farm (Taiwan) — part of Taiwan’s aggressive push to expand renewable energy capacity
- Baltic Power (Poland) — one of the first major offshore wind projects in the Baltic Sea
The pipeline of offshore wind vacancies reflects this construction boom, with demand for qualified professionals rising across all project phases.
What countries are leading offshore wind development?
The United Kingdom, China, Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark are the leading countries in offshore wind development. The UK holds the most installed offshore wind capacity globally, while China is the fastest-growing market. The US is scaling up quickly, supported by federal policy and state-level targets.
The European Union as a whole has set ambitious targets for offshore wind as part of its energy transition strategy. Countries like Belgium, France, and Poland are also building out their first major offshore wind farms. In Asia, South Korea and Japan are investing heavily in floating offshore wind technology to take advantage of their deep-water coastlines. Across all these energy and maritime industries, the race to build offshore wind capacity is accelerating.
How big can offshore wind turbines get?
Offshore wind turbines are now reaching heights of over 260 metres and rotor diameters of more than 220 metres. The latest generation of turbines, such as the Vestas V236 and the Siemens Gamesa SG 14-236 DD, have individual capacities of 14 to 15 MW per turbine. A single turbine at this scale can power thousands of homes on its own.
The trend toward larger turbines is driven by economics. Bigger turbines generate more electricity per installation, which reduces the cost per megawatt-hour. Fewer turbines also mean lower installation and maintenance costs across a project’s lifetime. The challenge is that larger turbines require heavier foundations, more specialized installation vessels, and more complex logistics. The engineering involved is significant, but the industry is investing heavily in the vessels, ports, and supply chains needed to support the next generation of turbines.
What challenges do large offshore wind projects face?
Large offshore wind projects face challenges including grid connection delays, supply chain constraints, permitting complexity, and the high cost of specialized installation vessels. These are not small hurdles. A delayed grid connection can hold up an entire project, and the global supply of suitable installation ships is limited.
Weather windows at sea are also a real constraint. Offshore installation work depends on specific wave heights, wind speeds, and visibility conditions, which limits the number of days per year when heavy lift operations can take place. Supply chain issues have become more pronounced as the number of projects worldwide grows faster than the manufacturing capacity for components like monopile foundations, cables, and turbine nacelles. Permitting and environmental assessment processes can add years to a project timeline, particularly in new markets where regulatory frameworks are still being developed.
Safety is another major factor. These are complex, high-risk working environments, and every person working on an offshore wind project needs to meet strict qualifications and QHSE requirements. There is no room for compromise on that.
How does offshore wind growth affect demand for skilled workers?
The rapid growth of offshore wind is creating strong and sustained demand for skilled workers across every phase of a project. From geotechnical surveys and foundation installation to turbine commissioning and ongoing operations and maintenance, offshore wind projects require large, specialized teams. The demand is outpacing the current supply of qualified professionals in many markets.
Roles in high demand include offshore installation managers, marine coordinators, dynamic positioning officers, subsea engineers, commissioning technicians, and HSE officers. As projects move into the operations and maintenance phase, the need for long-term crewing solutions grows further. The international nature of the industry also means that workers regularly move between countries and projects, making cross-border employment and payroll solutions a practical necessity rather than an optional extra.
How iPS Powerful People helps with offshore wind staffing
We have been placing professionals in offshore energy projects for over 35 years. Our database includes more than 100,000 qualified candidates, and we have offices in the Netherlands, the Baltic States, Croatia, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Dubai, and the US. That gives us direct access to the local talent markets where offshore wind projects are growing fastest.
Here is what we offer for offshore wind clients and candidates:
- Project crewing — we staff complete project teams, from the survey phase through to installation and commissioning, not just individual roles
- Permanent and temporary recruitment — for both short-term operational needs and long-term positions within your organization
- Cross-border payroll — we put workers on our own payroll, handle A1 certificates, and ensure full compliance with local employment law so you carry no administrative or legal risk
- QHSE screening — every candidate we place meets the safety and qualification requirements of the project, because that is a condition of every placement we make
- 24/7 responsiveness — offshore projects do not run on office hours, and neither do we
We are also B Corp certified, which means our work meets verified standards for social and environmental performance. That matters in an industry that is building the energy infrastructure of the future.
Want to know more about how we work or what we can do for your project? Learn more about us or get in touch with our team directly.