Focus Associations

04.02.2013

Offshore wind energy: boom of plants in 2012, UK biggest market

The EU market for offshore wind plants is still the biggest one, but slowing due to uncertain nationals and Community policies.
2012 was a record year for offshore wind plants in Europe. According to data and statistics issued by Ewea (European Wind Energy Association), over the past year have been installed and connected to the power supply more than 290 turbines with a total capacity of 1,165 MW.

This brings to 1,662 turbines operating in Europe, distributed in 55 wind farms "floating on the sea" with a total capacity of nearly 5 thousand MW. The European offshore locomotive is once again the UK, with 60% of the installed power European followed by Denmark, Belgium and Germany.

The market of offshore wind energy is enormous: the turbines connected in 2012 cost is approximately € 4 billion. The outlook for 2013 and 2014 is confirmed in growth with 14 yards offshore constructions that will increase the European offshore wind power capacity at 8,300 MW.
To these we should add other seven projects still in the preparatory stage: according to the EWEA, European market will grow by 89% over current levels.

Dominating the European market for wind turbines there are two giants like Siemens and Vestas, which covered 86% of the demand for turbines, but slowed down in recent years due to the economic crisis, the higher cost of capital and increasingly competitive business rates Eastern Europe.

The offshore wind market offers huge potential at the moment, with plans for 140GW and permissions granted for 18.4 GW: to curb the rapid growth of the sector uncertain nationals and Community policies, absence of clear guidelines and criteria for installation.

Waiting for more certainty in Europe a growing interest is in the emerging markets of Asia, especially the Chinese and Asian ones.
Europe, on a global scale, with 5,538 MW, representing 90% of installed capacity is a leading market. But in the top five China is the only non-EU (with 509.5 MW installed last year), while Japan, currently on the eighth place, predicts a vertical growth with investments important in the coming years, thanks to the project for the construction of the largest offshore wind farm in the world in front of Fukushima island.