(Berlin) - States and regions are currently outdoing each other with announcements about increased expansion of renewable energy power plants. That's good, because more green electricity can also be used to produce green hydrogen.
260 GW of offshore wind power
For example, the North Sea neighbors want to accelerate the expansion of offshore wind energy. In a joint statement between the energy ministers and the European Energy Commissioner, expansion targets for the North Sea region of 76 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 were agreed. By 2040 it should be 193 GW and by 2050 then 260 GW. According to the Federal Ministry of Economics, this corresponds to more than 85 percent of the offshore expansion required across the EU by 2050 in order to achieve the EU goal of climate neutrality.
Distribute green electricity across countries
In addition, at the ministerial meeting of the North Sea Energy Cooperation (NSEC) in Dublin, it was announced that in the future more hybrid offshore projects would be developed that combine wind farms and cross-border electricity transfer points (interconnectors).
In May 2022, the heads of government of Denmark, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands met with the President of the EU Commission at the “North Sea Energy Summit” in Esbjerg, Denmark. © Federal Government / Bergmann
Together with better coordination of area and network planning, “a closely connected offshore network should be created”. Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the EU Commission are currently working together in the North Sea Energy Cooperation.
The NSEC ministerial meeting in Dublin followed the North Sea Energy Summit, hosted by Denmark with the participation of Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and the EU Commission, which took place on May 18th Esbjerg with Federal Chancellor Scholz and Federal Economics Minister Habeck.
Baltic Sea neighbors want to develop 19,6 GW
Eight states bordering the Baltic Sea also want to work together to advance the expansion of renewable energies. The representatives of the energy ministries recently reached a corresponding agreement in Copenhagen as part of the “Baltic Energy Security Summit” at the invitation of the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Industry. Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden are involved.
Here too, the signatories are relying on the production of green hydrogen from electricity using offshore wind power. According to reports, offshore wind capacity should be expanded to at least 19,6 GW. Denmark has set itself the biggest target of 6,3 GW. Poland wants to achieve around 2030 GW by 5,9.
Energy island off Bornholm
In the run-up to the Baltic Summit, Economics Minister Robert Habeck and his Danish counterpart Dan Jørgensen also signed a joint agreement on the further development of the “Bornholm Energy Island” project. In the project, offshore wind turbines with an output of three gigawatts will be built around the Danish Baltic Sea island by 2030. Germany and Denmark are connecting the resulting “energy hub” Bornholm with power lines to the German and Danish mainland.
The costs for the network infrastructure are shared. The aim of the cooperation is to develop Bornholm into a center for offshore wind power. This would create opportunities for testing and developing technologies for energy islands and Power-to-X.
Center for Offshore Energy
A number of actors from the private, state and municipal sectors are involved in the project: the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), the electricity supplier and wind farm operator Ørsted, the Spanish-based wind turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, SA, the Danish transmission system operator Energinet, the Bornholm Municipality, the electricity supplier Bornholms Energi & Forsyning and the island port of Rønne.
“The Baltic Sea, with Bornholm at its center, offers enormous potential for offshore energy,” explained the DTU. Baltic Energy Island fits well into the university's strategy, which aims to "train more engineers who can develop sustainable solutions to reduce the impacts of climate change and ensure the balanced use of resources."
In addition, an innovation center should be set up at the Rønne power plant to evaluate the findings from the testing and development activities of students, researchers and companies. In this context, the DTU is trying to create a “Residential College” where students and researchers can live and work with the Bornholm energy system.
Energy island also in the North Sea
Denmark also wants to participate in a watershed in the North Sea - albeit one that will be constructed artificially. energy island take part off Jutland. According to plans from 2021, it will have a port and facilities for storing and converting the income from offshore wind turbines in the sea.
Rendering of an artificial 3 gigawatt energy island in the North Sea. The size, appearance and exact functions of the island have not yet been determined. © Danish Energy Agency
The project, announced in 2019, is a public-private partnership between the Danish state and private companies. The “VindØ” consortium consists of two of the country's largest pension funds (PensionDenmark and PFA) as well as Denmark's largest energy company Andel, with Nykredit as a financing partner. The project is also supported by the investment company Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners.
Largest infrastructure project in the history of Denmark
According to the Danish Energy Agency, this is “the largest infrastructure project in the history of Denmark”. After discussions with more than 20 actors and consortia, the authority has now announced that the tender planned for this year will be postponed by twelve months to September 2023 due to new findings and innovative plans.
“We expect that the time we invest now at the start of the project will enable smarter and faster solutions in the long term,” said Deputy General Director for the Energy Islands, Mogens Hagelskær. The goal is still to supply green electricity in 2033.
According to the DTU, by 2040 the two islands will generate electricity from installed offshore wind turbines with an output of twelve gigawatts. According to the industry association Green Power Denmark, Denmark currently produces electricity from around 2,3 gigawatts of offshore wind turbines.
China's wind power plans are unparalleled
The Europeans' plans are big, but those of China are gigantic. Incoming orders for wind turbines broke all records worldwide in the second quarter of this year. In particular, the activity of the world's most populous country has caused an increase to almost 43 GW - an increase of 36 percent compared to the same period last year, according to a new analysis by the British consulting firm Wood Mackenzie. This corresponds to an estimated value of 18,1 billion dollars.
Global order intake for wind turbines reached 42,7 gigawatts in the second quarter. China is by far the leader. © Wood Mackenzie
According to analysts, China wants to push forward an average expansion of more than 55 GW per year (sic) over the next ten years. In the second quarter alone, China's wind turbine manufacturers recorded a record order intake of 35 GW and has been at 45 GW since the beginning of the year. Europe, on the other hand, at least doubled its activity compared to the first quarter, but is still at a low level at 3,8 GW. Order intake in the USA was a comparatively measly two gigawatts in the first half of the year.
Seven Chinese turbine manufacturers in the top 10
Global orders for offshore wind turbines alone exceeded six gigawatts in the second quarter of this year. Developers in the Chinese market recorded the largest ever order intake in the first half of the year in the sector, which accounts for 74 percent of global offshore contract capacity, the report said.
The three companies alone: Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co., Ltd., Ming Yang Wind Power Group Ltd. and Envision Energy cumulatively implemented more than 26 GW in the second quarter, said Luke Lewandowski, research director at Wood Mackenzie. There are seven Chinese turbine manufacturers in the global top 10 for order intake in the first half of this year.
Photo above
Ørsted offshore wind farm in the North Sea. © Ørsted A/S
