Europe’s offshore wind farms grew 4.5 percent in the first half of this year, the European Wind Energy Association reported. A total of 101 new offshore wind turbines producing 348 megawatts were connected to power grids in Britain, Germany and Norway in the first six months of 2011. Total cost of these turbines is 8.5 billion euros ($12.23 billion).
Despite the increase in installations during the first semester, EWEA’s chief executive Christian Kjaer cautioned that it’s still not yet safe to assume that the trend will carry on by the end of 2011.
«While I see several positive trends for the European offshore wind power industry, we are not home and dry yet. The sector is coming out of the financial crisis but is still facing a potential worsening of the general economic crisis,” Mr. Kjaer said.
“The number of banks providing capital for offshore wind farm investments is steadily growing, although there is a continued need for attracting an increasing number of large institutional investors to offshore wind farms – presently the largest construction projects going on in Europe,” he ended.
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EWEA said 11 wind farms at sea are currently under construction, making available 2,844 MW worth of wind power upon their completion.
The European wind energy industry group also noted that several wind farms in Germany and Britain will reach financial close this year, with more financial institutions providing funding.
U.K. leading the way
Based on statistics provided by EWEA, Britain put up the most turbines. It installed 101 units of offshore turbines, 68 of them connected to the country’s grid. Their total electricity output is 244.8 MW.
The country expects 2.24 gigawatts’ worth of power upon the completion of all its projects at sea. The number includes the London Array, the largest planned offshore wind farm expected to generate 1 GW of wind power upon its completion. Its first phase is currently under construction, expected to be finished by the end of 2012 with an initial generating capacity at 630 MW.
Meanwhile, among offshore wind energy developers, Denmark’s Dong Energy owned a large portion of offshore projects in the region, with 137.5 MW or 39 percent of offshore wind farms.
Britain’s Scottish and Southern Energy P.L.C. has the second largest portion of 76.7 MW or 22 percent of offshore wind farms.
The figures collected in EWEA’s offshore wind data report were recorded from the first day of the year until June 30. The group said there are 1,247 offshore wind turbines fully grid-connected with a total capacity of 3,294 MW in 49 wind farms spread between nine European countries.
