Thread by @hannon_matthew

***NEW FLOATING WIND REPORT***

Offshore Wind, Ready to Float?

Global and UK Trends in the Floating Offshore Wind Market

doi.org/10.17868/69501

You can find a shorter blog here, with all the key take-aways. Thanks to @StrathCEP @chris_calvillo for their help on this.

strath.ac.uk/humanities/cen…

KEY MESSAGES BELOW

We unpack each of these in thread.

We identified:

- 57 MW installed
- 268 MW applied for consent
- 5.9 GW pre-consent

Taking historic conversion rates of UK offshore wind we find that by 2030 there could be total of 4.3 GW of floating wind in our waters.

- Deployment of has been dominated by the UK and Japan
- Foundation design and development lead by Norway and Japan. New entrants
- UK strong on deployment, weak on foundation tech.
- USA and France, are expected to challenge
for leadership in both deployment and design.

Whilst SMEs have played key role in driving sector growth, multi-national companies are investing
in floating wind deployment and design, including:

1. oil and gas majors (@EquinorASA);
2. energy utilities (@edfenergy); and
3. Original Equipment Manufacturers (@SiemensGamesa)

Floating wind is moving closer to commercialisation, with strong signs of scaling up. Comparing 2008–13 and 2013–2018:

- Turbine capacity has tripled
- Distance from shore doubled

BUT

- Most projects still single-turbines
- Depth remained fairly static (60-65m)

UK/Scotland world leader in floating wind
deployment, with 56% of all capacity.

Retaining lead will largely depend on 2 factors:

1. Retaining open trading relationship with the #EU/EEA post #Brexit.

Why? It has depended strongly on Euro firms to deliver its floating wind.

2. Reinstating UK long-term support for
small-scale pre-commercial floating wind projects (e.g. RenOb)

AND

retaining access to EU innovation funds (e.g. Horizon 2020, @EIB)

Lack of both would create 'black hole' of £/€ for next gen of floating wind.

So recommendations?

- Retain EU innovation support
- Reinstate UK long-term renewable subsidy for pre-commercial
- Focus on niche market penetration, to aid scale-up
- Grow UK content of wind supply chain
- Minimise supply chain disruption post #Brexit

Folk who may be interested:

@windpower_m @WindEurope @GWECGlobalWind @IRENA @IEA @ScotRenew @RenewableUK @OffshoreWINDbiz @WindEnergyCDT @DNVGL

Thanks to co-authors:
@Eva_Topham @DavidStrathMc @maucollu James Dixon