As the 27th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 27) convenes, a new report from The Renewables Consulting Group, an ERM Group company, reveals that several developed and emerging markets are falling behind their stated net zero climate ambitions. Of the fifteen countries that have offshore wind specified development targets for 2030, 80% are already predicted to miss their stated goals.

The report, “Global Offshore Wind Market Report: COP 27 Highlights,” reveals that only Vietnam, Poland, and Denmark are set to meet or exceed 2030 offshore wind targets

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has predicted that the world would need an installed global capacity of 270 GW of offshore wind by 2030, and 2,000 GW by 2050. Meeting these targets requires the equivalent of the installation of the current global capacity every year until 2030 and then installation 2.5 times that amount (86.5 GW per year) for each of the following 20 years. To date, RCG research shows that target will be missed by 7%. To reach RCG’s 2030 forecast, an average capacity of 24.5 GW will need to be installed annually.

Breanne Gellatly, Partner and Global Lead, Strategy and Markets for The Renewables Consulting Group, an ERM Group Company, said:

“In spite of the impressive number of offshore wind projects in development, the majority of countries are need additional action to hit their 2030 offshore wind specific targets. ERM's report outlines what is causing the situation despite the increased attention on renewable energy, as well as some of the actions policy makers have at their disposal to rectify. The report should serve as a wake-up call to governments, institutions, and organizations that plenty of challenging work remains in the fight against climate change.”

According to RCG, there are myriad reasons why countries are falling behind these climate change ambitions. Considering that planning and obtaining approvals for offshore wind consent takes four to five years on average, regulatory bodies should investigate shortening their consenting processes if they are to deliver the significant expansions that are needed to stave off climate change.

Macroeconomic factors are also challenging as offshore wind faces serious cost inflation due to raw materials shortages and price increases. Offshore wind remains competitive, but RCG warns that these increasing capital costs may continue to undermine net zero goals and targets.

Learn more and download the executive summary

About ERM

ERM is the business of sustainability. As the largest global pure-play sustainability consultancy, ERM partners with the world’s leading organizations, creating innovative solutions to sustainability challenges and unlocking commercial opportunities that meet the needs of today while preserving opportunities for future generations. ERM’s diverse team of 7,000+ world-class experts in over 170 offices across 39 countries supports clients across the breadth of their organizations to operationalize sustainability. Through ERM’s deep technical expertise, clients are well-positioned to address their environmental, health, safety, risk, and social issues. ERM calls this capability its “boots to boardroom” approach - a comprehensive service model that allows ERM to develop strategic and technical solutions that advance objectives on the ground or at the executive level.

About The Renewables Consulting Group

RCG, an ERM Group company, is a specialized expert services firm supporting the global renewable energy sector. From strategy to implementation, the company serves businesses, governments, and non-profits around the world with technical and management consulting services for both mainstream and emerging renewable energy technologies. RCG works with the public sector, private equity and financial services firms, utilities and project developers, equipment manufacturers, and engineering and construction companies for on- and off-shore wind, solar, and emerging technologies including wave and tidal and energy-storage projects. RCG is headquartered in London, and has offices in New York, Tokyo and elsewhere. For more information, visit our website at www.thinkrcg.com or connect with us on Twitter via @thinkrcg.