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New Energy World
New Energy World embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low carbon technologies.
Europe’s wind construction increases but remains far behind target
27/4/2022
News
Europe is not building sufficient new wind energy to achieve its 40% renewable energy by 2030 climate goal, according to WindEurope’s 2021 annual statistics.
The findings show that the EU27 built just 11 GW of new wind farms whilst the continent as a whole built 17.4 GW in 2021. It intends to construct a further 18 GW each year between 2022 and 2026. However, 30 GW/y across Europe is needed to meet the 2030 renewables target.
Europe’s total installed capacity rose to 236 GW by the end of 2021, 81% of which was onshore. Respectively, the UK, Sweden, Germany, Turkey and the Netherlands built the most new wind capacity.
WindEurope predicts that Germany, the UK, France, Spain and Sweden will construct the most new wind capacity over the next five years.
The inadequate rate of expansion is affecting Europe’s wind energy supply chain, WindEurope says. The association does not blame government ambitions for the delay; instead it points to complex permitting procedures causing bottlenecks. Low volumes of permitted projects are subsequently impacting the manufacture and supply chain for Europe’s wind turbines.
‘The European wind industry is losing money, closing factories and shedding jobs – just when it should be growing to meet the huge expansion of wind power Europe wants. If this continues, the Green Deal is in trouble, not to mention Europe’s energy security goals,’ comments WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson.
Rethink Energy also finds EU countries behind on targets
Rethink Energy similarly concludes that the EU27’s wind installations are less than half the necessary capacity for the region's ‘Fit-for-55’ decarbonisation plan. It also attributes this shortfall to strict planning requirements.
Looking at the global wind industry, Rethink Energy reports that 92.5 GW of wind was installed in 2021, surpassing expectations of 86.4 GW, despite additions falling by 25% compared to 2020. China accounted for 51%, the US 15%, Brazil 4%, Vietnam 4%, Sweden 2% and Turkey 2%. European countries collectively constructed just 18% of wind capacity last year and all but two built fewer installations than the previous year.
Rystad Energy predicts record-breaking wind capacity additions
Rystad Energy predicts that new additions to Europe’s offshore wind capacity will break records by hitting 4.2 GW this year, driven primarily by UK developments. Its research finds that capacity will continue to increase in 2023 to 7.3 GW and to 8.6 GW in 2025, although there will be a slowing down in 2024 due to project timing.
These estimates, like those of WindEurope and Rethink Energy, fall short of Europe’s renewable targets.
Power generation begins at Taiwan’s biggest offshore wind farm
Meanwhile in other wind news, Taiwan’s largest offshore wind farm, Greater Changhua 1 & 2a, has begun generating power. The project, located 35–60 km off the island’s west coast and with a total capacity of 900 MW, is Ørsted’s first large-scale offshore wind farm in the Asia-Pacific region.
