Scaling up Offshore Wind Energy in Europe

This report analyses how EU regulatory action can help supporting the scaling up of offshore wind energy (ORE) in Europe. The offshore wind sector is currently facing great enthusiasm but also what has been described as ‘the perfect storm’, with a mix of strong demand, constrained supply, and inflationary pressures resulting in increased costs.

During the past few years, there has been a significant fall in offshore wind energy costs, making the technology one of the cheapest sources of renewable energy after solar PV and onshore wind. Offshore wind has become an essential pillar of the continent’s trajectory towards net zero, while the EU offshore wind and related supply chains have developed a significant competitive advantage.

As a response to the energy market disruption caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the European Commission presented the REpowerEU Plan that seeks to end the EU’s dependence on fossil fuels imported from Russia and to ensure security of supply and sustainability by boosting further the share of renewable energy generation in the EU.

To achieve faster deployment of offshore wind generation capacity in the EU, rapid, targeted action is needed to accelerate the scale-up of ORE in generation, transmission/distribution, and market design in the EU and its Member States, or they will not be able to meet their climate commitments, increase their energy independence and deliver on industrial ambitions.

Key areas for targeted EU action

The present report identifies four key areas for targeted EU action in order to support the scaling of offshore wind in Europe:

1. Planning: How can the development of offshore wind projects become part of an integrated plan for the Blue Economy (e.g., maritime/energy planning integration, in line with the National Energy and Climate Plans)?
2. Permitting: How to simplify and shorten permitting procedures for offshore wind generation and related infrastructures at Member State level?
3. Cross-border projects: How can EU intervention spur the development of large, cross- border projects and related infrastructures (e.g., improved permitting, clustering) and support collaboration between EU Member States and neighbouring coastal states?
4. Mutual and local benefits, including coexistence: How to ensure co-existence between offshore activities such as energy production, shipping, aquaculture, tourism, defence, and biodiversity protection (mutual benefits), and local benefits for the developments of offshore wind projects?