Building climate resiliency in offshore wind energy expansion plans

Abstract The offshore wind energy (OWE) sector is experiencing rapid global growth, with ambitious plans to scale up renewable energy capacity significantly. While this expansion is vital for mitigating climate change, ensuring the resilience of OWE infrastructure in the face of extreme weather and climatic events exacerbated by climate change remains a critical yet often overlooked aspect of the current literature. The main objective of this topical review is twofold. First, we provide a critical synthesis of related literature to outline how key aspects of climate change, such as rising ocean temperatures, shifting wind patterns, and intensifying storms, may affect the performance, maintenance needs, and structural integrity of OWE infrastructure. Second, we perform a global spatial analysis that overlays projections of climate hazards under the shared socioeconomic pathways with datasets of current and planned OWE installations. This approach allows us to identify geographic hotspots where climate-related stressors intersect with major OWE development zones, highlighting areas that require targeted resilience strategies. This understanding is essential for developing proactive strategies to ensure the long-term viability and resiliency of current and future OWE infrastructure.