Q7: The construction of Europes largest off-shore wind park

2021 – 2030 WE

Annual installations

Between 2021 and 2030, the annual offshore marketfor wind turbines will grow steadily from 7.7 GW in2021 to reach 13.6 GW in 2030. 2027 will be the firstyear in which the market for offshore wind turbinesexceeds the onshore market in the EU.

Wind Energy Production

The 150 GW of installed capacity in 2030 would produce 563 TWh of electricity in 2030, equal to between 12.8% and 16.7% of EU electricity consumption, depending on the development in demand for power. Approximately half of Europe’s wind electricity would be produced offshore in 2030(7). An additional 592 TWh would be produced onshore, bringing wind energy’s total share to between 26.2% and 34.3% of EU electricity demand.

Offshore wind power investments

Annual investments in offshore wind power are expected to increase from €9.8 billion in 2021 to  €16.5 billion in 2030.

Sursa: EWEA

Wind Energy Production

The 40 GW of installed capacity in 2020 would produce148 TWh of electricity in 2020, equal to between 3.6%and 4.3% of EU electricity consumption, depending onthe development in electricity demand. Approximatelya quarter of Europe’s wind energy would beproduced offshore in 2020(6). Including onshore, windenergy would produce 582 TWh, enough to meetbetween 14.3% and 16.9% of total EU electricitydemand by 2020.

Offshore wind power investments

Annual investments in offshore wind power are expected to increase from €3.3 billion in 2011 to €8.81 billion in 2020.

 

Avoiding Climate Change

In 2011, offshore wind power will avoid the emission of 10 Mt of C02, a figure that will rise to 85 Mt in the year 2020.

Sursa: EWEA

Stats

Wind Farms Gallery

Wind Power 2008 – 2020

2008 saw 366 MW of offshore wind capacity installedin the EU (compared to 8,111 MW onshore) in sevenseparate offshore wind farms, taking the total installedcapacity to 1,471 MW in eight Member States. The UKinstalled more than any other country during 2008 andbecame the nation with the largest installed offshorecapacity, overtaking Denmark. Activity in 2008 wasdominated by ongoing work at Lynn and Inner Dowsingwind farms in the UK and by Princess Amalia in theNetherlands.In addition to these large projects, Phase 1 of ThorntonBank in Belgium was developed together with two nearshoreprojects, one in Finland and one in Germany. Inaddition, an 80 kW turbine (not connected to the grid)was piloted on a floating platform in a water depthof 108m in Italy. Subsequently decommissioned, thisturbine was the first to take the offshore wind industryinto the Mediterranean Sea, which, together withdevelopments in the Baltic Sea, North Sea and IrishSea, highlights the pan-European nature of today’soffshore wind industry.2009 has seen strong market development with amuch larger number of projects beginning construction,under construction, expected to be completed, orcompleted during the course of the year. EWEA anticipatesan annual market in 2009 of approximately 420MW, including the first large-scale floating prototypeoff the coast of Norway.By the end of 2009 EWEA expects a total installedoffshore capacity of just under 2,000 MW in Europe.

2011 – 2020

In December 2008 the European Union agreed on a binding target of 20% renewable energy by 2020. To meet the 20% target for renewable energy, the European Commission expects 34%(5) of electricity to come from renewable energy sources by 2020 and believes that “wind could contribute 12% of EU electricity by 2020”.

Not least due to the 2009 Renewable Energy Directive and the 27 mandatory national renewable energy targets, the Commission’s expectations for 2020 should now be increased. EWEA therefore predicts that the total installed offshore wind capacity in 2020 will be 40 GW, up from just under 1.5 GW today.As can be seen in Figure 1, EWEA’s offshore scenario can be compared to the growth of the European onshore wind market at a similar time in the industry’s

development.

Annual installations

Between 2011 and 2020, EWEA expects the annual offshore market for wind turbines to grow steadily from 1.5 GW in 2011 to reach 6.9 GW in 2020. Throughout this period, the market for onshore wind turbines will exceed the offshore market in the EU.

Sursa: EWEA

Offshore

Offshore wind power is vital for Europe’s future.Offshore wind power provides the answer to Europe’senergy and climate dilemma – exploiting an abundantenergy resource which does not emit greenhousegases, reduces dependence on increasingly costlyfuel imports, creates thousands of jobs and provideslarge quantities of indigenous affordable electricity.This is recognised by the European Commission in its2008 Communication ‘Offshore Wind Energy: Actionneeded to deliver on the Energy Policy Objectives for2020 and beyond’(1).Europe is faced with the globalchallenges of climatechange, depleting indigenous energy resources,increasing fuel costs and the threat of supply disruptions.Over the next 12 years, according to theEuropean Commission, 360 GW of new electricitycapacity – 50% of current EU capacity – needs to bebuilt to replace ageing European power plants andmeet the expected increase in demand. Europe mustuse the opportunity created by the large turnover incapacity to construct a new, modern power systemcapable of meeting the energy and climate challengesof the 21st century while enhancing Europe’s competitivenessand energy independence.

EWEA target

In March, at the European Wind Energy Conference 2009 (EWEC 2009), the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) increased its 2020 target to 230 GW wind power capacity, including 40 GW offshore wind. Reaching 40 GW of offshore wind power capacity in the EU by 2020 is a challenging but manageable task. An entire new offshore wind power industry and a new supply chain must be developed on a scale that will match that of the North Sea oil and gas endeavour. However, the wind energy sector has a proven track record onshore with which to boost its confidence, and will be significantly longer lived than the oil and gas sector.

To reach 40 GW of offshore wind capacity in the EU by 2020 would require an average growth in annual installations of 28% – from 366 MW in 2008 to 6,900 MW in 2020. In the 12 year period from 1992-2004, the market for onshore wind capacity in the EU grew by an average 32% annually: from 215 MW to 5,749 MW. There is nothing to suggest that this historic onshore wind development cannot be repeated at sea.

Sursa: EWEA

Wind power becomes Europe’s fastest growing energy source

More wind power was installed in the EU than any other electricity-generating technology in 2008, according to data released yesterday.

The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) produced figures showing wind power provided 43% of new capacity – or almost two gigawatts (GW) – compared with 35% for gas, 13% for oil, 4% for coal and 2% for hydro power.

The EWEA’s claim that wind power is the fastest growing technology in Europe for the first time came as it emerged that the US overtook Germany last year – before Barack Obama entered the White House with his “green” agenda – to become the world’s number one wind power installer.

The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) said China, whose capacity doubled for the fourth year in a row, was set to reach second place by 2010 – meeting its 2020 target of 30GW 10 years ahead of schedule.

EWEA’s figures come at a period of heightened EU debate over the role of nuclear power, with France awarding the contract for its second EPR (the controversial European Pressurised Reactor) to state-owned EDF last week.

There is also concern over the viability of plans to generate 20% of primary energy from renewables by 2020, the future of carbon emissions trading and the security of gas supplies after the latest Russia-Ukraine dispute.

Christian Kjaer, the EWEA chief executive, said: “The figures show that wind energy is the undisputed number one choice in Europe’s efforts to move towards clean, indigenous renewable power.” On each average working day in Europe last year, 20 wind turbines were installed.

The new wind power capacity, costing €11bn (£9.9bn), should, in a normal year, produce 142 TWH (terawatt hours) of electricity or about 4.2% of EU demand and abate 100m tonnes of CO2 a year – equal to taking more than 50m cars off Europe’s roads.

Germany and Spain both installed more than 1.6GW while the UK added 836MW (megawatts) to reach 3.24GW. Ten of the EU’s 27 states have now got wind power capacity of more than 1GW.

Global capacity grew by 27GW to reach almost 121GW by the end of 2008, prompting Steve Sawyer, the head of GWEC, to assert that wind energy was the only technology capable of delivering the necessary CO2 cuts in the critical period up to 2020. Investments last year totalled €36.5bn.

US capacity now totals 25GW, after leaping by a half in 2008, with Germany close behind at 24GW. But the GWEC admitted that financing for new projects and orders “slowed to a trickle” in the US as the economic crisis deepened.

China, which added 6.3GW, now has 12.2GW of capacity and the country has identified wind energy as a key growth component in its economic stimulus package. Li Junfeng, the head of the Chinese Renewable Energy Industry Association, said new capacity would almost double again this year.

Sursa: guardian

2008 Wind Energy ( EU)

Wind energy: providing certainty at uncertain times

In 2008, more wind power capacity was installed in the EU than any other electricity generating technology. Over 40% of the EU’s new capacity was wind energy in 2008 and a record-breaking 27 GW of new wind power generation capacity came online on a global level. The year was rounded off with the EU’s agreement on the Renewable Energy Directive, setting in place a 20% renewables target by 2020.

During the same year, fears over the EU’s dependence on foreign energy and fossil fuels were exacerbated as conflicts in energy-exporting countries led to supply problems and the oil price shot up to €147 before coming unsteadily back down again. Warnings of heightened CO2 emissions and the irreversibility of ongoing climate change escalated. Then, as 2008 turned into 2009, the world found itself in the midst of the biggest financial meltdown since the 1930s and Russia cut supplies.

In the face of these economic, energy and climate challenges, Europe can count on wind for technology leadership, climate protection, energy independence, commercial opportunities, exports and jobs. The fact that it is now the EU’s main new source of power capacity and there is a secure legislative framework for renewables indicate the growing recognition of the benefits of wind energy.

Sursa: EWEA

Wind Power Works Campaign