Preparing for a 25-fold increase in EU offshore wind

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The Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy presented by the European Commission today foresees 300GW of offshore wind in the EU by 2050.

Arkona OWF (Photo: Equinor/ Eskil Eriksen)

Offshore wind is set to be the number one source of electricity Europe consumes by around 2040. The European wind industry is ready to deliver this. But beefing up offshore wind requires large-scale investment in ports, grids and the supply chain.

The EU Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy will shape the development of offshore wind in Europe for the next 30 years. It sees offshore wind in the EU growing from 12GW today to 60GW by 2030 and 300GW by 2050. The European wind industry stands ready to deliver on this expansion.

But the 25-fold increase in offshore wind requires major investment in infrastructure. Huge investments are needed in offshore grid connections and also in the reinforcements of onshore grids. And ports need €6.5bn of investments over the next 10 years. All the equipment for offshore wind farms passes through ports. They need extensive space, heavy loading quays and deep berths. Ports are the hubs for operation and maintenance of offshore wind farms, and they’ll become the assembly base for floating offshore wind.

According to industry body WindEurope, Europe needs a sound industrial policy to expand its offshore wind supply chain. Today the supply chain produces 3GW of turbines a year. In the future it’ll need to produce 18GW. Innovation and trade policy need to be right too. Offshore wind is now taking off in East Asia and will do shortly in the US. This presents additional export opportunities for the European wind industry.

“This is a very good Strategy. It confirms the vision for offshore wind to be Europe’s number one source of electricity. And it identifies all the right policies that will drive those investments: industrial policy; state aid rules; and the mechanisms to ensure predictable revenues for offshore wind farm developers at least cost to society” says Giles Dickson, WindEurope’s CEO.

WindEurope is the voice of the wind industry, actively promoting wind power in Europe and worldwide, eith over 400 members, active in over 50 countries.

By Jake Frith