In the first six months of 2015, the European offshore wind industry installed more new capacity than in any other year on record, as several projects reached completion and deployment of larger turbines increased, according to a report on key trends and statistics in the first half of 2015, produced by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA).
Installations in the first half of 2015 touched 2,342.9MW - tripling the grid-connected capacity for the same period last year. As a result, total installed offshore wind capacity in Europe reached 10,393.6 MW in 82 wind farms across 11 countries.
In a statement issued to coincide with the report, EWEA Chief Policy Officer Kristian Ruby said that it had taken the offshore wind industry only six months to set the best year the sector has ever seen in terms of installed capacity. “While this clearly shows a commitment to offshore wind development in Europe, a number of completed projects, explosive growth in Germany and the use of higher capacity wind turbines are major contributors to these numbers," she said.
During the first six months of 2015, 584 offshore wind turbines were connected to the power grid, up 160.7% from the same period in the previous year. The average size of the wind turbines was 4.2 MW, a 20% increase from 3.5MW in the first half of 2014, as manufacturers continue to develop larger models with higher energy capture.
"To ensure healthy growth in the coming years, and to guarantee offshore wind energy plays its role in meeting the EU's competitiveness, security and decarbonisation objectives, the industry needs long-term visibility. Strong reforms to the operation of Europe's electricity market and much-needed upgrades to infrastructure to help the integration of wind energy must be a priority. It is also critical that Member States meet renewable energy commitments toward the end of this decade and set out a clear game plan to meet Europe's 2030 targets," Ruby said.
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