How Many Wind Turbines Are in the UK?

Ever wondered how many wind turbines are in the UK today? With renewable energy at the heart of the UK’s climate strategy, wind power has become a central force in the nation’s shift to a low-carbon future. Join me as I explore just how prominent wind power is across the country.

The UK is leading the charge in wind energy in Europe, with almost as many offshore turbines as China.

With strong winds and an extensive coastline, it’s an ideal place to harness this clean, renewable power. Wind turbines now dot the country, from the hills of Scotland to the waters of the North Sea. And these turbines play a major role in reducing carbon emissions nationwide.

But exactly how many wind turbines are in the UK today? Where are they located? How much electricity do they generate, and are they really helping us meet national net-zero goals?

In this blog, I’ll break things down to give you the full picture. I’ll cover how many turbines the UK has in 2025, how much power they produce and what’s coming next for this fast-growing industry.

How Many Wind Turbines Are in the UK?

There are roughly 11,000 wind turbines that are currently operational across the UK. These turbines generate approximately 28 gigawatts (GW) of electricity that’s split between onshore and offshore installations.

An industry database tracks approximately 1,381 wind farm entries in total as of 2025. This figure includes approved and under-construction projects. The number of wind farms is only set to increase across the country as the Labour government continues moving toward net-zero.

What’s the current onshore wind situation in the UK?

With approximately 1,172 onshore wind farm entries, the UK has amassed around 15.5 GW of onshore capacity in total. This is a significant amount of wind energy, but it’s not necessarily split equally across the UK.

Wind energy is generally concentrated where the wind speeds are highest and most reliable.

So, let’s take a closer look at where these turbines are placed:

• Scotland holds the lion’s share of onshore wind, with 4,464 turbines (or 8.6 GW of installed capacity).

• England is trailing behind quite significantly with 1,999 turbines (or 2.9 GW of installed capacity).

• Northern Ireland has 1,302 turbines (or 1.3 GW of installed capacity).

• Wales has 998 turbines (or 1.3 GW of installed capacity).

While this answers the question ‘How many wind turbines are in the UK?’, it doesn’t take construction or planning into account.

As of mid-2025, there are around 35 onshore wind projects under construction. In 2024, developers filed 77 planning applications for new projects to be approved. This is slightly lower than the 83 that were filed in 2023. But it still shows the growth that I was hoping to see following Labour’s 2024 wind farm announcement.

The UK Onshore Wind Industry Task Force anticipates capacity growth to 26 GW by 2030, a 3.1 GW shortfall of the government’s target (based on current forecasts). So, there’s still a fair way to go before the UK reaches its renewable energy targets.

What about the offshore wind landscape?

As it’s faced less resistance from the public over the years, offshore wind has continued to grow.

Across the UK, there are 14.7 GW of offshore wind that’s fully operational across 55 wind farms. They house approximately 1,700 to 1,800 turbines in a range of sizes (between 8 and 14 MW).

But that’s just current offshore wind farms.

There are an impressive seven farms under construction that total 7.6 GW of installed capacity. This includes Dogger Bank B and C, Neart na Gaoithe, Moray West, Sofia and East Anglia THREE.

And in development, there are around 73 planned projects that will add approximately 60 GW to the UK’s wind energy profile.

What Are the Environmental and Economic Impacts of These Turbines?

Wind is a key part of the UK’s energy makeup, and its percentage of the overall energy mix is only increasing year on year.

Wind was the largest source of electricity from renewables in 2024, contributing an impressive 30 per cent to the UK’s overall energy mix. To add to this, the UK generated a record 22.5 GW from wind energy on 18 December 2024. This covered nearly 68 per cent of Britain’s electricity demand.

Looking more closely at offshore wind, it produced an estimated 49.7 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2024. This amount of energy was enough to power 52 per cent of UK homes. If the UK can keep up this kind of production level, it’s more likely that we’ll be able to reach net-zero limits.

Beyond the environmental impact, wind energy also delivers massive economic benefits. In 2024, around 32,000 people were directly employed in offshore wind, a number projected to rise to 100,000 by 2030.

Across both onshore and offshore sectors, there are currently about 55,000 jobs. This figure is expected to climb to around 112,000 by 2030 as capacity expands and new projects become operational.

Are There Any Challenges and Controversies That Come With These Turbines?

But, with all this growth, there are bound to be a few challenges that appear along the way.

Two major issues are Grid limitations and curtailment issues. Problems around Grid connection are increasing as capacity grows. And this will require urgent investment in energy storage and flexible infrastructure to try and support increased production from wind energy.

With China-US tariffs in place as of 2025, the UK may also face significant supply chain issues. While these aren’t solely down to the tariffs, the knock-on effects on supply chains around the world are certainly going to be felt.

The Road Ahead

With more than 11,000 turbines already in place and almost 30 GW of installed capacity, wind power is playing a key role in decarbonising the country’s energy system. But the next few years will be critical.

The government’s targets (50 GW of offshore wind and 26 GW onshore by 2030) are ambitious, and will only be achieved with the right support.

This includes continued investment in turbine technology, faster planning approvals, stronger supply chains and a more flexible National Grid. But it’s also important to have public support for wind, which thankfully remains largely positive.

Wind energy alone may not meet every energy demand that the UK is facing. But paired with other renewables and battery storage systems, it could supply the vast majority of the UK’s power needs in the next couple of decades.

If you’re interested in how wind energy could benefit your land or the wider community, the team at Lumify Energy can help. Whether you’re looking to host turbines, navigate planning permission hurdles or explore investment opportunities, we’re here to support you every step of the way.

FAQs

What is the largest UK wind farm?

As of 2025, the Dogger Bank Wind Farm is the largest in the UK. It’s tucked off the northeast coast of England and will reach a total capacity of 3.6 GW across three phases (A, B and C) once it’s fully operational.

Each section of this wind farm uses powerful 13 to 14 MW turbines that are capable of generating enough electricity for millions of homes.

Onshore vs offshore turbines – which produces more energy?

As a rule, offshore turbines generally produce more energy. This is because there are stronger and more consistent wind speeds at sea, and these turbines can handle much more intense winds than onshore ones.

Offshore capacity factors (a measure of turbine efficiency) can exceed 50 per cent, compared to 25 to 35 per cent for most onshore turbines.

Could wind cover all of the UK’s electricity needs?

Technically, yes – but not yet.

Wind already supplies 25 to 30 per cent of the UK’s electricity, and there are planned capacity increases in preparation for net-zero goals.

However, full coverage requires major advances in energy storage, the National Grid’s infrastructure and balancing technologies to handle any variability. So, the country still has a fair way to go before this is possible.