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Marine Renewable Energy

Based on Eurostat data on (exclusively) production and transmission, the sector generated more than €3.3 billion in GVA in 2021, a 39% increase compared to 2020. Gross profits accounted for €2.4 billion, up 45% since 2020; and the reported turnover was about €25.9 billion, up 65% since 2020. 

The sector directly employed 14.3 thousand persons, up from less than 400 persons in 2009. Personnel costs totalled €912 million. The average annual wage, estimated at €63.8 thousand, is almost 24% lower compared to 2009 (€83.8 thousand) (Figure 1).  

Size of the EU offshore wind sector, 2009-2021
Figure 1 Size of the EU offshore wind sector, 2009-2021: Turnover, GVA ad gross operating surplus in € million (left) and persons employed (thousand), and average wage in € thousand (right)
Size of the EU offshore wind sector, 2011-2019: Persons directly employed in the EU offshore wind energy sector (thousand)
Figure 2 Size of the EU offshore wind sector, 2011-2019: Persons directly employed in the EU offshore wind energy sector (thousand)

In terms of GVA, the top contributors, in descending order, include Germany with 62% (€2.1 billion), Denmark (€504 million), the Netherlands (€453 million) and Belgium (€324 million). Production of electricity contributes to 79% of the GVA, whilst Transmission of electricity to 21%.  

Share of employment (left) and GVA in EU offshore wind sector (right) in 2021
Figure 3 Share of employment (left) and GVA in EU offshore wind sector (right) in 2021

1 The first offshore wind farm (Vindeby) was installed in Denmark in 1991 and decommissioned in 2017, after 25 years of useful life.  

2 JRC analysis based on GWEC (2023) and 4C OFFSHORE (2023) WIND FARMS DATABASE.

3 See Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1041 of 28 November 2023.

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=OJ:L_202401041…;

4 European Commissionc, Directorate-General for Climate Action, Directorate-General for Energy, Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, De Vita A, Capros P, Paroussos L, Fragkiadakis K, Karkatsoulis P, HöglundIsaksson L et al. EU reference scenario 2020 : energy, transport and GHG emissions : trends to 2050. Publications Office; 2021, doi: 10.2833/35750.

5 It is assumed that the EU to UK share of employment are determined by the ratio of offshore wind installed capacity. Due to the assumption, this calculation may still underestimate EU employment.

6 WindEurope, “Wind energy and economic recovery in Europe – How wind energy will put communities at the heart of the green recovery”, 2020.

7 COM(2020) 741.

8 PE/36/2023/REV/2.

9 Analysis derived from BNEF 2023.

10 4C OFFSHORE (2023) WIND FARMS DATABASE.

11 4C OFFSHORE “Floating wind: Industry focus” (2023).

12 COM(2020) 741.

13 https://www.ocean-energy-systems.org/publications/oes-annual-reports/document/oes-annual-report-2023/ (original capacities); https://mc-cd8320d4-36a1-40ac-83cc-3389-cdn-endpoint.azureedge.net/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2023/Jul/IRENA_Renewable_energy_statistics_2023.pdf?rev=7b2f44c294b84cad9a27fc24949d2134 (updated evolution). 

14 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65b1463d160765000d18f834/contracts-for-difference-cfd-allocation-round-4-results.pdf (original source); https://www.offshore-energy.biz/uks-fourth-contracts-for-difference-round-awards-40mw-of-new-tidal-power-capacity/ (conversion in euro).

15 Based on Cordis data.