Offshore wind additions in Europe will reach all-time highs in 2022

Europe’s installed offshore wind power capacity will hit a new high this year, driven mainly by UK projects, topping 4 GW for the first time and more than doubling the increases seen in 2021, new analysis from Rystad Energy suggests. .
Capacity additions on the continent should reach 4.2 GW in 2022, surpassing the 1.8 GW total in 2021 and breaking the previous annual high of 3.8 GW reached in 2019.

In 2022, UK projects will add 3.2 GW of capacity, a new annual record for the country, surpassing the previous record of 2.1 GW set in 2018. The country’s installed capacity is being accelerated by three major projects that expected to be fully operational in 2022 and will be the three largest projects in Europe in 2022: Orsted’s 1.3 GW Hornsea Two, the Moray East development, primarily owned by Ocean Winds, a joint venture between France’s Engie and Spain’s EDP Renewables , and majority-controlled Triton Knoll. by the German renewable power RWE.

France will be the second largest contributor to capacity expansions in Europe this year, with the country launching its first 480 MW commercial offshore wind project. Germany is scheduled to start installations, led by the 342 MW Kaskasi project, after failing to add wind power in 2021. Norway is also expected to contribute to the commissioning of the 88 MW floating Hywind Tampen project. The Netherlands and Denmark are not expected to commission any new offshore wind projects in 2022.

According to Rystad, new capacity additions are forecast to nearly double again in 2023 to 7.3 GW, before soaring to 8.6 GW in 2025. Annual capacity additions are expected to decline in 2024 due to scheduling of projects, but significant construction activity is expected to lead to record commissioning figures in 2025.

“Europe is the most mature offshore wind region in the world, but Chinese installations have dominated global additions in recent years. Chinese projects accounted for 85% of all global capacity additions in 2021, with Europe only contributing 10%. But that looks set to change this year, with the continent expected to continue ramping up capacity additions through the end of the decade,” said Anubhav Venkatesh, offshore wind power analyst at Rystad Energy.

Adis Ajdin