The future of offshore wind energy in Europe I

EWEA - the European Wind Energy Association - welcomed today the Copenhagen Strategy published by the participants to the European Policy Seminar on Offshore Wind Power Deployment. It calls on the Council of Ministers to ask the European Commission to initiate a European policy for offshore wind power, in the form of an Action Plan for offshore wind power deployment. The Strategy, which was agreed between representatives from Member States, Energy Agencies, NGOs and the industry, also recommends the establishment of a Wind Energy Technology Platform under the 7th Framework Programme, as proposed by the July 2004 Informal Competitive Council, under the framework of a Joint Technology Initiative (JTI).

The Copenhagen Strategy states that “in the long term the prospects for offshore wind power are promising, the technology faces a number of challenges in terms of technological performance, impacts on the local environment, competition for space with other marine users, compatibility with the European grid infrastructure and secure integration in the energy system as well as being fully competitive in the European liberalised electricity market”.

“EU-wide collaboration is necessary in order to fully exploit offshore wind energy, one of Europe’s largest indigenous energy resources. Europe is running low on oil and gas and prices are rising. This initiative of European Member States and energy agencies is an essential step forward to ensure Europe gains control of its own energy future”, said Arthouros Zervos, President of EWEA. “It is self-evident that offshore wind can happen faster and cheaper with European collaboration on key issues such as research and grid integration”.

The Chairman of the Seminar, Mr. Jim Campbell from the UK’s Department of Trade and Industry said: “Offshore wind in Europe is at a crucial junction in its development. Early results from the first offshore wind projects have been promising. But it is clear that there remain barriers in the way of its fuller development. EU policy makers have a key part to play working with industry to remove those hurdles. The Copenhagen Strategy we have adopted today presents an agreed way forward to tackling a number of those challenges.” “I am especially pleased that representatives from Member States, Energy Agencies, NGOs and the industry have unanimously agreed that the outcome of today’s meeting will be followed up by concrete measures to bring forward offshore wind energy in Europe, in close cooperation with the European Commission”, said Peter Helmer Steen, Deputy Director General, Danish Energy Authority Ministry of Transport and Energy.

This is the first part of two press releases. Please see related press release from 29.10.2005 for more information on contents.

The English version of the ‘Copenhagen Strategy on Offshore wind power deployment‘ are available at http://www.ens.dk/sw11492.asp