If challenges are successfully met, floating wind turbines could be operational in waters over 50 metres deep in four years a new report from the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) has found.
Deep water wind farms are key to unlocking the massive energy potential in Europe’s Atlantic and Mediterranean seas and the deepest parts of the North Sea. Floating wind turbines in the deep waters of the North Sea alone could supply Europe’s power demand four times over, providing 145 million households with renewable electricity and employing 318,000 people by 2030. They could also provide energy security, technology exports and no greenhouse gases.
“To allow this sector to realise its potential and deliver major benefits for Europe, a clear and stable legislative framework for after 2020 - based on a binding 2030 renewable energy target - is vital” said Jacopo Moccia, Head of Policy Analysis at EWEA.
Such stability must be backed by an industrial strategy for offshore wind, including support for research and development. The technology is cost-competitive with standard fixed-bottom offshore turbines from 50 metres depth the report has found. These wind farms could be producing power by 2017.
Offshore wind has already proved itself as a promising technology, with at least 58,000 people employed within the sector in 2012. It has the potential to decarbonise the power sector while creating significant economic growth.
Despite EWEA’s optimism, some voices are, however, urging a note of caution. Peter Kelly-Detwiler, writing in Forbes this week, says that the real challenge is going to be integrating wind energy into the grid while keeping costs low enough to be attractive and getting the policy mix right in order to attract investors. Mr Detwiler added that Europe will have to “spend a great deal of time focusing on both the pricing subsidies and ensuring sufficient capability to integrate wind energy into existing power markets”.
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