Offshore Wind Power: A Step Towards the Next Great Energy Revolution

Wind energy has been harnessed by mankind since time immemorial. Around 2,000 years ago, the most ordinarily constructed windmills were pumping water in China, while boats were pushed up the Nile River as early as 7,000 years ago. As we fast forward to the present day, the same age-old principles are aiding in the creation of sustainable and renewable energy efficiently. Wind power is evolving at a rapid rate and is providing increasing percentages of electricity generation every year. In the U.K., for instance, wind power overshadowed nuclear power generation for the very first time, creating numerous job opportunities. Amongst the two types of wind power, namely, offshore and onshore, offshore wind power is the most influential in today’s day.

Offshore wind power is often referred to as offshore wind energy. In this, wind farms are built-in bodies of water, usually on the continental shelf or the ocean, to generate electricity by harvesting wind energy. The efficiency of offshore wind power has drastically increased owing to the implementation of novel technologies. Fortune Business Insights, in a published report, states that the global offshore wind power market size is projected to reach approximately 94 GW by the end of 2026, exhibiting a CAGR of 19.2% in the forecast period. However, the market had a capacity of more than 23 GW in 2018. This article highlights the advantages of offshore wind power as well as some of the latest industry developments.

What are the Advantages of Offshore Wind Power?

• High wind resources: Innovative technologies are utilized in the offshore wind power industry to open up sites with high wind resources. The wind farms can be constructed close to densely populated regions very quickly at a gigawatt-scale. Therefore, it is an important addition to the wide portfolio of technologies to cost-effectively decarbonize the energy sector.


• An alternative for clean electricity: There are various advancements that are introduced in the wind power technologies to expand into new markets and promote cost reduction. Onshore wind power is extremely cheap as compared to conventional power generation technologies, governmental organizations are paying more attention to the technological development of offshore wind power. It is likely to open new doors to sites that house better wind resources. This perfect blend of availability of larger sites and higher capacity factors makes offshore wind power a suitable alternative for low-carbon electricity.


• Competitive nature: A significant reduction in the cost of power generation, driven by advancements in technologies is one of the crucial growth drivers for the offshore wind power industry. Hence, the governments of various nations are offering financial support to address the decarbonization of electricity production and the security of electricity supply. All these efforts have brought the costs down and are enhancing performance by bringing innovation in the sector.

Key Industry Developments

The offshore wind power industry is filled with a large number of competitive players. They are focusing on introducing the latest technologies and building new wind farms at suitable venues. These would aid them in gaining maximum share and increase brand presence. Below is a list of two of the most recent industry developments:

Vattenfall to Build 760 Megawatt Offshore Wind Farm off the Netherlands

In July 2019, Vattenfall, a leading energy company based in Sweden, announced that it has bagged the subsidy-free offshore wind tender in the Netherlands. The company now has the right to construct the 760 megawatt (MW) Hollandse Kust Zuid (HKZ) 3 & 4 offshore wind farm. The construction work will begin in 2022 and the project is anticipated to be done by 2023. According to Vattenfall, it is a vital step for the company to grow in renewable energy production and to make fossil-free living possible. The Netherlands is a salient area for the company and it will be one of their largest offshore wind projects.  

Shell, Van Oord, and Eneco Collaborate to Build Two Wind Farms in Dutch Part of the North Sea

In March 2019, Royal Dutch Shell, an oil and gas company based in the Netherlands, teamed up with Eneco, a producer and supplier of heat, electricity, and natural gas as well as with Van Oord, a Dutch maritime contracting company, in a bid. The main aim of the collaboration is to construct two wind farms in the North Sea. The total capacity of both wind farms is approximately 750 MW. The officials of Van Oord mentioned that all three companies are planning to build wind farms around 20 kilometers off the coast of The Hague. The operation will commence in 2023. They will be capable of generating a power supply for about 1 million households.

What is the Future of Offshore Wind Power Industry?

As there was a lack of space for the development of mammoth onshore wind projects in the highly populated regions of Western Europe, offshore wind was born. The European countries were the first to consider oceans as a clean resource. Offshore wind power will be the backbone of Britain’s electricity system as it is pocket-friendly. In the near future, reputed developers of offshore wind projects will have to bid low to achieve the next wind farm project. This system will only help in decreasing the cost.

Author’s Bio—

Name: Reeti Banerjee

Reeti Banerjee is currently working as a content writer in a prominent market research firm named Fortune Business Insights. She specializes in writing articles, press releases, blogs, and news reports. She believes in maintaining simplicity throughout her content to provide the clients with a seamless reading experience.