The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) looks at how deep water offshore wind turbines can help unlock the energy potential in Europe's Atlantic and Mediterranean seas and the deepest parts of the North Sea. Offshore wind is one of the fastest growing maritime sectors. Its installed capacity was 5 GW at end 2012, and by 2020 this could be eight times higher, at 40 GW, meeting 4% of European electricity demand. By 2030, offshore wind capacity could total 150 GW, meeting 14% of the EU’s total electricity consumption. However, for this to happen, a supportive legislative framework is needed, and new offshore designs must be developed for deep water in order to tap the large wind potential of the Atlantic, Mediterranean and deep North Sea waters. Current commercial substructures are economically limited to maximum water depths of 40m to 50m. The ‘deep offshore’ environment starts at water depths greater than 50m. Contents - Floating turbine designs are cost-competitive with fixed-bottom designs in waters over 50m deep. - If challenges are successfully met, deep water wind farms could be operating in four years’ time. - Floating turbines in North Sea deep waters alone could power Europe four times over. - Offshore wind in Europe could be providing 145 million households with renewable electricity and employing 318,000 people by 2030, while providing energy security, technology exports, and no greenhouse gases. - If the requirements are met, the first full-scale deep offshore wind farms could be producing power by 2017.

1. Deep water
The next step for offshore wind energy

2. Annual and cumulative installations of offshore
wind in Europe (MW)
Source: EWEA

3. Typical fixed offshore foundations
Source: EWEA

4. Share of substructure types for online wind
farms, end 2012 (units)
Source: EWEA

5. Location of deep water wind energy designs
(based on number of projects announced)
Source: EWEA

6. Average water depth and distance to shore for
online, under construction and consented offshore
wind farms (bubble size represents the total
capacity of the wind farm)
Source: EWEA

7. Offshore market projects online, under
construction and consented (MW)
Source: EWEA

8. Share of consented offshore wind farms by sea
basin (MW)
Source: EWEA

9. Offshore wind foundations
Source: Principle Power

10. About the European Wind Energy Association
EWEA is the voice of the wind industry, actively
promoting wind power in Europe and worldwide. It has
over 700 members from almost 60 countries making
EWEA the world's largest and most powerful wind energy
network.
Rue d'Arlon 80
B-1040 Brussels
Belgium
www.ewea.org

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