An EU Strategy to harness the potential of offshore renewable energy for a climate neutral future

Europe and a quantum leap for offshore wind

Europe has a major opportunity to ramp up renewable power generation , to increase the direct use of electricity for a wider spectrum of end uses and to support indirect electrification through hydrogen and synthetic fuels as well as other decarbonised gases, as illustrated in the energy system integration and the hydrogen strategies . The EU Hydrogen Strategy, in particular, sets an objective of 40 GW of renewables linked electrolysis capacity in the EU by 2030.

Offshore renewable energy is among the renewable technologies with the greatest potential to scale up. Starting from today’s installed offshore wind capacity of 12 GW, the Commission estimates that the objective to have an installed capacity of at least 60 GW of The farm generated 5MW and covered the annual energy consumption of 2 200 households during 25 years. out of 15 floating turbines worldwide are produced and located in the European Union 3 With 13,5 MW of the global 34 MW ocean energy capacity installed in EU27 waters in 2019

The impact assessment accompanying the 2030 climate target plan projects that by 2030 over 80% of electricity should be generated by renewable sources -  offshore wind and at least 1 GW of ocean energy by 2030, with a view to reach by 2050 300 GW10 and 40 GW11 of installed capacity, respectively, is realistic and achievable.