Latest news with #WindEurope
Euronews
27-05-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Europe turns to offshore wind for energy and economic security
Rising from the Baltic Sea, Kriegers Flak is more than Denmark's largest offshore wind farm. It's a pioneering energy bridge between Denmark and Germany, helping balance electricity prices and strengthen energy security for both countries — all while providing a clean alternative to fossil fuels. As Europe seeks to secure its energy future, wind parks like Kriegers Flak are set to play a growing role. 'Europe needs more homegrown renewable electricity like this,' says Giles Dickson, CEO of WindEurope, an industry body representing over 600 companies. 'That means more energy security, which in turn means economic security and national security.' The numbers are ambitious. The EU wants to grow its offshore wind capacity from 20 gigawatts today to 360 gigawatts by 2050. It's a massive undertaking, backed by policy support and rapid technological innovation. At the Port of Esbjerg on Denmark's west coast, the future is already taking shape. From here, Swedish energy giant Vattenfall remotely manages more than 1,200 offshore turbines across four countries. Algorithms are playing a growing role in this digital transition: according to Laura Ørsted, who heads Vattenfall's operational control centre, automation is key to keeping up with the growth in turbine numbers. As turbines get taller and more powerful, ports like Esbjerg are expanding to meet the logistical demands. Having already handled 80% of Europe's offshore wind installations, the port is now reclaiming more land to accommodate next-generation equipment. 'One of the challenges with offshore wind is that it needs very large port space, port capacity — and that's also why there aren't sufficient offshore wind ports in Europe today,' says Dennis Jul Pedersen, the port's CEO. 'We are lucky here that we have been able to develop the port in line with what the industry needs, and we will also be very, very busy going forward.' Getting turbines installed at sea isn't easy — or cheap. Specialised vessels like the Wind Osprey, operated by Danish offshore services company Cadeler, are critical. With extendable legs that reach down to the seabed, they form stable platforms for lifting and assembling massive components. 'Everything's getting bigger,' says Captain Matthew Christie of the Wind Osprey. 'We've just had a new crane fitted — it's longer and has a bigger lifting capacity, because the tower sections are taller now.' A single day of operation for these ships can cost hundreds of thousands of euros. And once the turbines are up, keeping them running smoothly is another major challenge. Offshore turbines are battered by salt water and storms. Unlike land-based units, they're hard to access — requiring boats or helicopters, and only during calm weather. This makes maintenance one of the most expensive parts of offshore wind operations, accounting for up to a third of total costs. 'The cost of maintenance is actually quite a large fraction of the total levelised cost of energy,' says Simon Watson, professor of wind energy systems at TU Delft. 'There's a big interest in trying to reduce that to make offshore wind energy more cost effective.' The sector is increasingly looking to robotics as part of the solution. In Latvia, a company called Aerones has developed a climbing robot that can inspect and repair turbine blades more quickly — and safely — than human workers. These robots can sand, coat, and inspect blades for damage, dramatically reducing downtime and keeping the turbines turning. 'The largest blades in the world are exceeding 120 metres,' says Aerones CEO Dainis Kruze. 'We optimise the robots for speed, so the turbines have far less downtime while we're doing the job.' At their Riga factory, Aerones is now producing dozens of these machines each month to keep up with demand. The long-term vision? Autonomous maintenance robots for every turbine, overseen by technicians rather than operated manually. 'As the robots become smarter, we try to implement algorithms so the operator would be kind of overseeing the AI agents doing the work, not so much being involved himself, moving the robot left or right,' adds Aerones CTO Janis Putrams. Despite the challenges, momentum is strong. The WindEurope Annual Event in Copenhagen highlighted just how much investment, research, and international collaboration is going into this growing sector. By 2030, the European wind industry — both onshore and offshore — is expected to employ over 900,000 people and contribute more than €100 billion to the EU economy. 'There are the jobs, the growth, the investment that comes locally from building and operating these wind farms and manufacturing the turbines and all the equipment, the grid equipment, that is part of wind energy,' says WindEurope's Giles Dickson. As Europe works to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and unstable energy imports, offshore wind is fast becoming a pillar of its strategy. Scaling up isn't easy, but with innovation and smart investment, the continent is turning its coastal winds into a powerful force for change. Speaking with 'Ocean' at Denmark's Kriegers Flak offshore wind farm, Giles Dickson, CEO of WindEurope, highlighted a key benefit of wind energy: lower electricity bills. 'Wind energy is cheaper than the fossil alternatives. So the more of these offshore wind farms we can build, and the onshore wind farms, of course, the more electricity bills will come down for consumers,' Dickson explains. As Europe faces rising energy demands and environmental pressures, offshore wind is increasingly seen as a reliable and affordable solution. European governments are prioritising offshore wind because it delivers affordable, secure, and locally generated power. Dickson points out, 'It's local energy generated here in Europe with equipment manufactured here in Europe — these wind turbines were made in Denmark.' This homegrown approach not only boosts energy security but also supports local manufacturing and jobs. Heavy industries, which consume vast amounts of electricity, are eager to tap into this clean energy source. 'They're knocking on our doors saying, can we please build more of these offshore wind farms so that they can consume the electricity, because they know it'll be cheaper to run their factories on electricity than it is to run them on fossil fuels,' Dickson says. The shift to wind power is helping European manufacturers cut costs and reduce their carbon footprint. Despite the progress, Europe's wind sector still relies on some key imported components. 'Some wind turbines have permanent magnets that have rare earths inside them, for example. And there, we are heavily dependent on China,' Dickson notes. The European Union is now working to diversify its supply chains, aiming to source these critical materials from other countries. 'It's going to take us 5 or 10 years. But you know, this is a top priority for us,' he adds. 'Because we don't want to replace the old dependency that we had on Russian gas with a new dependency on Chinese equipment for renewable energy.'
Euronews
27-05-2025
- Business
- Euronews
WindEurope's CEO: Wind farms will drive down electricity costs
Speaking with 'Ocean' at Denmark's Kriegers Flak offshore wind farm, Giles Dickson, CEO of WindEurope, highlighted a key benefit of wind energy: lower electricity bills. 'Wind energy is cheaper than the fossil alternatives. So the more of these offshore wind farms we can build, and the onshore wind farms, of course, the more electricity bills will come down for consumers,' Dickson explains. As Europe faces rising energy demands and environmental pressures, offshore wind is increasingly seen as a reliable and affordable solution. European governments are prioritising offshore wind because it delivers affordable, secure, and locally generated power. Dickson points out, 'It's local energy generated here in Europe with equipment manufactured here in Europe — these wind turbines were made in Denmark.' This homegrown approach not only boosts energy security but also supports local manufacturing and jobs. Heavy industries, which consume vast amounts of electricity, are eager to tap into this clean energy source. 'They're knocking on our doors saying, can we please build more of these offshore wind farms so that they can consume the electricity, because they know it'll be cheaper to run their factories on electricity than it is to run them on fossil fuels,' Dickson says. The shift to wind power is helping European manufacturers cut costs and reduce their carbon footprint. Despite the progress, Europe's wind sector still relies on some key imported components. 'Some wind turbines have permanent magnets that have rare earths inside them, for example. And there, we are heavily dependent on China,' Dickson notes. The European Union is now working to diversify its supply chains, aiming to source these critical materials from other countries. 'It's going to take us 5 or 10 years. But you know, this is a top priority for us,' he adds. 'Because we don't want to replace the old dependency that we had on Russian gas with a new dependency on Chinese equipment for renewable energy.'
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump pushes UK to embrace drilling, dump windmills
President Trump on Friday criticized the United Kingdom's energy policy, pushing the British government to do away with 'costly and unsightly' windmills and drill for more oil in the North Sea. 'Our negotiated deal with the United Kingdom is working out well for all. I strongly recommend to them, however, that in order to get their Energy Costs down, they stop with the costly and unsightly windmills, and incentivize modernized drilling in the North Sea, where large amounts of oil lay waiting to be taken,' Trump said on Truth Social. 'A century of drilling left, with Aberdeen as the hub. The old fashioned tax system disincentivizes drilling, rather than the opposite. U.K.'s Energy Costs would go WAY DOWN, and fast!' the president said. Trump returned to the Oval Office with plans to 'drill, baby, drill' and had said on the campaign trail that he aimed to 'have a policy where no windmills are being built.' He's since made moves to roll back Biden-era renewable energy policies and hasten fossil fuel development — and his efforts to hold up wind energy development have drawn legal challenges. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, on the other hand, has championed renewable energy and a net-zero agenda. The government has planned to double onshore wind and quadruple offshore wind by 2030, according to WindEurope, in pursuit of low-carbon goals. Trump's call for Britain to embrace drilling comes after the U.S. and U.K. signed a trade deal earlier this month, the first country-specific agreement since the Trump administration's 'Liberation Day' tariff hikes in early April. The deal, which had been in the works for some time, included billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Trump pushes UK to embrace drilling, dump windmills
President Trump on Friday criticized the United Kingdom's energy policy, pushing the British government to do away with 'costly and unsightly' windmills and drill for more oil in the North Sea. 'Our negotiated deal with the United Kingdom is working out well for all. I strongly recommend to them, however, that in order to get their Energy Costs down, they stop with the costly and unsightly windmills, and incentivize modernized drilling in the North Sea, where large amounts of oil lay waiting to be taken,' Trump said on Truth Social. 'A century of drilling left, with Aberdeen as the hub. The old fashioned tax system disincentivizes drilling, rather than the opposite. U.K.'s Energy Costs would go WAY DOWN, and fast!' the president said. Trump returned to the Oval Office with plans to 'drill, baby, drill' and had said on the campaign trail that he aimed to 'have a policy where no windmills are being built.' He's since made moves to roll back Biden-era renewable energy policies and hasten fossil fuel development — and his efforts to hold up wind energy development have drawn legal challenges. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, on the other hand, has championed renewable energy and a net-zero agenda. The government has planned to double onshore wind and quadruple offshore wind by 2030, according to Wind Europe, in pursuit of low-carbon goals. Trump's call for Britain to embrace drilling comes after the U.S. and U.K. signed a trade deal earlier this month, the first country-specific agreement since the Trump administration's 'Liberation Day' tariff hikes in early April. The deal, which had been in the works for some time, included billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports.
Irish Examiner
12-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Limited port space challenges plans for wind energy
The chief executive of industry representative body WindEurope, Giles Dickenson, recently said Europe's ports 'are not ready for the build-out of offshore wind Europe wants'. "That's deeply worrying. Because you can't do offshore wind without ports. If the ports aren't ready, then all the other huge efforts and investments that are being made across the offshore wind value chain are potentially wasted.'' Mr Dickenson says Europe needs to invest €8.5bn in port infrastructure in the next five, years, and this is very applicable to ports do not seem to be ready, and we do not have enough capacity to cater for the projects confirmed. Ireland has committed to delivering 5 GW of offshore wind by 2030, but is this achievable? Ireland is making progress on fixed offshore, with 4.4 GWs of fixed offshore wind farms proceeding through the planning process following the ORESS (offshore wind renewable electricity auction) auction of 2023, with more expected this year. However, a blind spot for Ireland is its sea ports – we do not have enough ports at the right size, in the right place, to meet requirements. The need for capacity and space at Ireland's ports is pivotal to realising our goals for offshore renewable energy (ORE). DCU have analysed this in the Research Ireland Programme called NexSys. There are three categories of ports required to satisfy the needs of offshore windfarm implementation in Ireland: Operations and Maintenance (O&M) ports, Foundation Marshalling ports, and Installation Marshalling ports. With regards O&M ports, Ireland would seem to be well served. Foundation Marshalling ports effectively manage the staging and installation of the offshore fixed bottom wind turbines foundations. The DCU study shows that many monopile steel foundations get shipped in bulk from Asia. The size and draft (-12m) of these ships limit where they could be offloaded – Rosslare would have a challenge. Foundations can also be sourced in Europe where shipments volumes can be lower, but cost may be an issue. Installation Marshalling ports provide a consolidation hub for fixed windfarms, where turbine towers, nacelles (a type of housing unit for essential equipment) and blades can be offloaded, stored, partially assembled before they are deployed at sea. A harbour draft of up to -10m as well as reinforced laydown area, and quay perspective, are a necessity. Research shows that co-locating the foundation load-out process and installation process for turbines, blades, etc, is not seen as best practice. The laydown area is a critical component in a port's ability to support the rollout. Rosslare has 21 hectares of laydown while Cork has 23ha. To put Ireland's total laydown area of 44ha in perspective: Hull in the UK has 61ha; Esbjerg (Denmark) 170ha, Cuxhaven (Germany) 152ha; Eemshaven (Netherlands) has 46ha of space for offshore work. Many sources say that 'a single 1 GW windfarm project with 12-14 MW turbines would occupy 22ha of a port for two years during the construction period'. Cork has commenced the extension of its pier but is yet to apply for planning for reclamation work. Rosslare is waiting to progress its planning application to deliver its quays and laydown area. These two ports are the only ports in the State. Belfast has more than 30GW of UK and Irish projects close to it, already making it an in-demand port. If Ireland is limited to just 44 Ha of laydown space from Cork and Rosslare, we will only be able to install about 0.5GW per annum and this could delay achieving 5GW of installed offshore wind energy by eight years, to 2038. What can be done? Port options in Ireland are limited due to the geophysical aspects of our ports, the physical size of the equipment, and the limitations in our port infrastructure and offshore wind energy port strategy, but there are solutions. Bantry, Shannon Foynes, and possibly Bremore offer solutions as Foundation Marshalling ports. Bantry and Shannon Foynes need development to support floating wind anyway, so why not invest earlier? The upcoming ports policy from the Dept of Transport is a key document as to whether the barrier of infrastructural investment by government has been changed. Non-Irish options are open to any developer if they source the foundations from European sources like Holland or Spain, potentially feeding a site directly using barges. Neither are ideal. If foundations are procured from the Far East, these items will be shipped in bulk to a feeder port, preferably in Ireland. Using Belfast, Scotland, or another UK port could offer solutions, but these are jobs lost to the State. It's a far cry from the Dept of Enterprise, Trade and Employment's Power Prosperity strategy document which spoke of building ''a successful, vibrant, and impactful new offshore sector, and to ensure the sector creates value for the people of Ireland'. James Carton is assistant professor in sustainable energy in Dublin City University. Bill Duggan is a research assistant at DCU.
