On Thursday 10 April, some sixty players from the European wind energy industry proposed a ‘New Offshore Wind Deal’ to minimise the risks associated with developing “local and competitive” offshore wind energy.
This proposal calls on European governments to auction at least 100GW of new offshore wind capacity between 2031 and 2040 through Contracts for Difference (CfD) to ensure long-term revenue stability and reduce investment risk.
According to WindEurope, the association representing the wind energy sector in Europe, the development of offshore wind power should be “better coordinated between European countries and spread more evenly over time”.
The association also points out that annual offshore installations should reach 15GW by the 2030s, but the growing uncertainty of investment and insufficient levels of electrification are threatening progress.
The proposal calls for the 100 GW to be commissioned uniformly, at a rate of 10 GW per year from 2031-2040, with cross-border coordination and sufficient flexibility in commissioning dates “to allow for optimal supply chain utilisation and investments”.
The industry then stresses the need for wider measures to accelerate electrification, support the competitiveness of energy-using industries and demand “a step-change” in the development and financing of networks.
In return, the sector is committed to ensuring that offshore wind power can reduce the cost of electricity by 30% by 2040.
The proposal: https://aeur.eu/f/gdh (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)