EC Touts Europe's Wind Energy Potential
April 3, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
Piebalgs outlined the role wind energy will have in achieving the European Union (EU) goal of reaching its 20% renewable energy target by 2020.
According to Piebalgs, wind has delivered the most promising results out of all renewable energy (RES) technologies so far, with 57 gigawatts of total capacity installed in the EU by the end of 2007.
In order to ensure that this trend continues, Piebalgs said a secure and favourable EU legislative framework is needed.
"In the fight against climate change, renewable energy sources are going to play a key role. Reaching the 20% RES target for EU by 2020 will require a substantial contribution from wind energy.
"It is an area where Europe is in the front worldwide and it should stay that way - wind energy is good for the environment, good for improving energy security and good for the EU economy," said Piebalgs.
Projections carried out for the EC show that the 20% renewables share could be reached with a 34% share of renewable electricity consumption in electricity sector, including a 12% share of wind in EU's electricity mix, of which one-third could come from offshore installations.
Offshore infrastructure
Piebalgs also discussed the EU Offshore Wind Action Plan, scheduled for adoption by the EC later in 2008, saying a maritime grid infrastructure must be developed quickly for the development of offshore wind energy.
Without the infrastructure, Piebalgs said no offshore wind farms can be built, pointing out that a key question is how the infrastructure should be financed. Although member states have taken efforts to collaborate on offshore development, there is room for increased cooperation. Piebalgs said the EU could play an important role in facilitating further joint efforts.
Piebalgs said the creation of the pan-European sub-sea energy grid, Supergrid, should help the incorporation of large quantities of offshore wind into the European electricity market.
Research and development
The EC's recent Strategic Energy Technology Plan proposed a new energy technology policy in Europe that aims to accelerate the development of low-carbon technology and bring it rapidly to market. One of the measures proposed is the European Industrial Initiative, for sectors where working at a Europe-wide level can make a difference. Piebalgs noted that wind is among the sectors proposed for this initiative.
In his speech, Piebalgs highlighted out some of the demonstration projects being supported under the European Community's Sixth and Seventh Research Framework Programmes, as well as the Intelligent Energy for Europe Programme:
- European Wind Integration Study (EWIS) - This project identifies impacts and proposes solutions to specific challenges following large-scale wind integration.
- Tradewind - This project formulates recommendations for the improvement of internal electricity market rules to better accommodate the integration of large-scale wind energy.
- Downwind - This demonstration project will establish two offshore wind turbines sited adjacent to the Beatrice oil field, off the east coast of Scotland. The project includes turbines that are the largest to be built offshore (5 megawatts), furthest from shore (25 kilometers), in the deepest waters (42 meters), and standing 150 meters above the sea surface.
- Norsewind - This project aims to provide a wind resource map covering the Baltic, Irish and North Sea areas. It will provide important steps in quantifying the quality of wind resources available offshore.
EWEC is organised by the European Wind Energy Association and is among the most important of its kind, bringing together policy-makers, industry representatives, researchers, project developers and other stakeholders from around the world to discuss topics related to wind energy.
The EC has recently made a far-reaching package of proposals that will deliver the European Council's commitments of March 2007 (IP/08/80) to fight climate change and promote renewable energy. The EU aims to demonstrate to its global partners that strong action to fight climate change and increasing the use of renewable energy is compatible with continued economic growth and prosperity.
For more information, see the web sites for the European Wind Energy Conference and for the European Wind Energy Association.
Source: European Commission (EC).