The 1 GW comprises 11 wind farms, or 336 installed wind turbines.

Maria McCaffery, RenewableUK Chief Executive, says: “The UK offshore wind industry has come of age.”

Currently, there are over 40 GW of offshore wind farms at various stages of development, with over 4 GW in construction or with planning consent.

The offshore wind sector is set to provide 150+ TWh of electricity a year, compared to the UK’s total electricity consumption in 2009 of 374 TWh, creating up to 70,000 ‘green collar’ jobs and attracting billions of pounds in investment.

Ed Miliband, Secretary of State at the Department of Energy Climate Change, adds: “It is great news that we've reached the 1 GW landmark. The UK is now the world leader in offshore wind energy generation. We are also set to be a centre of manufacturing for offshore wind.

Current operational UK offshore wind farms are:

• Barrow
  
• Beatrice
  
• Blyth Offshore
  
• Burbo Bank
  
• Kentish Flats
  
• Lynn & Inner Dowsing
  
• North Hoyle
  
• Rhyl Flats
  
• Scroby Sands
  
• Robin Rigg
  
• Gunfleet Sands I

Total: 1.041 GW