Offshore Wind to Provide One-Fifth of EU Power, Producers Say

Offshore Wind to Provide One-Fifth of EU Power, Producers Say

By Ewa Krukowska and Paul Dobson

Sept. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Offshore wind may provide as much as 17 percent of European Union electricity demand by 2030, surging from almost nothing now as the bloc promotes renewable energy, an industry group said.

Total installed capacity of offshore wind may jump to 150 gigawatts in 2030 from the current 1.5 gigawatts, the European Wind Energy Association said in a report released today. The share of EU energy consumption coming from renewables must more than double to 20 percent on average by 2020 under a new law for the bloc. Renewable sources include solar power and biomass.

“Strong and sustained political support and action from Europe’s policymakers will allow a new, multi-billion euro industry to be built,” according to the statement from the group, which represents companies including Sweden’s Vattenfall AB and Siemens Wind Power A/S, a unit of Siemens AG.

Offshore wind power currently meets no more than 0.3 percent of electricity demand in the EU, according to the association. European policymakers should follow up recently approved legislation promoting renewable energy with actions to spur offshore grids, the Brussels-based association said. To complement the new law, the EU is seeking to provide subsidies for offshore grids and coordinate national regulation.

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