Thursday, March 28

The year in which offshore wind power conquered the world: it has doubled its figures in twelve months


Offshore wind wins whole. And at great speed. RenewableUK has just published a market report, EnergyPulse, which helps broaden the focus and look from a larger, more global perspective, at the trickle of wind projects that the energy sector leaves month after month throughout the planet.

Its main conclusion is resounding and offers little room for interpretation: offshore wind power is growing at a good pace. If the global portfolio totaled 429 gigawatts (GW) in the middle of last year, today it is almost double, of 846 GW. The data includes both projects that are already operational, as well as others in full construction or simply approved and in the planning phase.

The second great idea that EnergyPulse leaves is that this bum has perfectly defined protagonists. At the head of the portfolio of offshore wind projects is China. The Asian Giant clearly leads with 97.9 GW, followed by the United Kingdom (91.3), the United States (80.4), Germany (57.4) and Brazil (52.4). The rest of the “Top 9” is completed by Switzerland, Ireland, Vietnman and South Korea, all between 44 and 28. Europe adds a portfolio of 350 GW, with 26 already fully operational.

A well defined ranking

If the operational capacity is analyzed, China leads again the ranking with 24.5 GW, followed again —although at some distance— by the United Kingdom (10.5) and Germany (7.7). The rest of the main positions are divided between the Netherlands and Denmark, both with around 3 GW.

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The general drawing changes slightly when analyzing the portfolio of floating projects, an increasingly popular alternative due to its advantages, such as saving land, ease of transporting parts and installing turbines, or even the speed of the wind, more constant and strong due to the absence of the barriers that are distributed by land.

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Leading the way in floating projects is the UK with 32 GW, which has set itself the goal of stretch your offshore muscle and have enough capacity to power every home in the country by the end of this decade. If the forecasts are fulfilled, in 2030 there would be around 30,000 offshore wind turbines distributed throughout the entire planet.

Who leads the portfolio of floating projects today, along with the United Kingdom? According to data from RenewableUK, Sweden is second with 25 gigawatts, followed by Taiwan (21 GW), Ireland (16 GW) and South Korea (16 GW). Other countries with extensive coastlines and floating facilities, such as Australia, Italy, USA and Finland, also stand out on the list.

The United Kingdom also leads in operational floating capacity, with 80 MW, largely thanks to wind farms located in Scottish waters. The muscle of the country will also grow with ScotWind and in the Celtic Sea. At a considerable distance, with 25 MW, it is located and the third position is shared with 6 MW each, China and Norway. The drawing could vary not much, in any case. Norway expects the 88 MW Hywind Tampen to be operational by the end of this year.

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The growth of offshore wind power coincides with the attempt of the EU countries to “divorce” polluting energies, such as coal, and the commitment to green alternatives, with a lower environmental impact. Against this background, major offshore wind projects have been announced in recent months, such as Hywind Tampen, Gofio or Vineyard Wind in the US.

Cover image | Lars Ploughman (Flickr)

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