A UK foresight study of materials in decarbonisation technologies : the case of wind turbines

Wind turbines are a well-established and widely used renewable technology capable of harnessing energy from wind. The kinetic energy imparted to the blades of a wind turbine by the wind is converted into electricity by the rotation of a rotor within a generator (IRENA, 2024). In 2023, wind power accounted for the largest share of renewable energy generation in the UK, contributing 29 per cent of total electricity generation, followed by biomass and solar energy, each contributing 5 per cent (National Grid ESO, 2024). The UK possesses significant potential to further expand wind energy production, particularly offshore due to its long coastlines and shallow waters (Frangoul, 2023). As a result, the UK has set an ambitious target to deploy up to 50 GW by 2030 (DESNZ, 2023). This will require about 2600 additional wind turbines to be built (Ukpanah, 2024). The Climate Change Committee further suggests that the UK may require up to 125 GW by 2050 (Committee on Climate Change, 2020). The scaling up of wind turbine deployment in the UK will therefore be very rapid up to 2050 and the materials required to build these installations will need to follow a similar growth trajectory.