BP is transitioning away from offshore wind energy as the company redirects its focus toward oil and gas ventures. This development comes as the British energy giant announced an agreement to transfer all of its offshore wind projects into a joint venture with Japan’s largest power producer.
The partnership will allow BP to share costs, significantly reducing its financial commitments to these renewable energy developments. The company now plans to spend about $4.2 billion less on offshore wind projects through 2030 than initially anticipated.
BP says the joint venture, expected to be finalized by the end of the third quarter in 2025, will create one of the world’s largest global offshore wind businesses. The move follows earlier measures by the company to reduce expenses tied to its offshore wind efforts after investor dissatisfaction with returns from its renewable energy initiatives.
Earlier this year, BP put a pause on all new offshore wind developments and implemented a hiring freeze within its offshore wind division. The company has also announced plans to sell its U.S. onshore wind business, stating that these assets no longer align with its growth strategy.
As BP pulls out from renewables, the company is simultaneously increasing investments in its more profitable oil and gas operations. After previously unveiling the sector’s most ambitious pledge to cut oil output back in 2020, BP recently decided to abandon that goal altogether in favor of continued fossil fuel production.
