Governors' Wind Energy Coalition

The installation rate of offshore wind turbines in Europe doubled in the first half of the year, with Siemens AG accounting for 83 percent of the new capacity. Nations including the United Kingdom and Germany are increasingly relying on offshore wind to help meet carbon reduction and renewable energy goals.

According to a report from the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), 1,045 megawatts of wind turbine capacity was connected offshore in the first six months of this year. That’s up from 523 MW in the same period a year earier. Siemens took the bulk of the market, followed by Bard Holding GmbH with 10 percent and Suzlon Energy Ltd. with 7 percent.

However, without clear guidelines and targets beyond 2020, installations could drop off, according to the Brussels-based EWEA. Only one new project has reached financial close in the past six months, it said.

The sole financing, coupled with “a lack of orders being placed for offshore wind turbines, substructures and components, reflects the regulatory uncertainty in key offshore markets including Germany and the U.K.,” EWEA Director of Policy Justin Wilkes said in a statement.

Half of the year’s installed capacity was in the United Kingdom, with 513.5 MW. Denmark connected 353 MW to the grid, Germany 105 MW and Belgium 74 MW.

The total offshore capacity of turbines is now 6,040 MW across 58 wind farms in 10 European nations, according to EWEA. Twenty-one additional wind farms planned or under constructed are projected to add 5,694 MW (Alex Morales, Bloomberg, July 15).