Germany set to overtake UK as top offshore wind installer this year

May 07:

New GlobalData figures show Germany will install more than 2GW compared to UK's 801MW

Germany is on course to install the most new offshore wind power capacity in the world this year, overtaking the UK, which is expected to start construction of just one new project in 2015.

New figures from GlobalData released yesterday suggest Germany will add more than 2GW of new offshore wind capacity to the grid this year - a fourfold increase from the 529MW built in 2014.

GlobalData said the UK will slip down to third place in the rankings, as China surges into second position with 817MW in 2015.

Yesterday, Swedish utility Vattenfall announced it had started installing 80 foundations for the Kentish Flats extension project, off the Kent coast. The £150m project will create nearly 50MW of new capacity and is the only project to start construction this year.

A number of other schemes including Gwynt y Mor will be completed this year in the UK and, as a result, GlobalData predicted the UK would install 801MW of new offshore wind power capacity this year, marginally down from the 813MW in 2014.

The report also shows that installations this year will double from 1.7GW in 2014 to 3.9GW in 2016, and the level of activity will dip to 3.2GW in 2016.

"Germany's huge increase in offshore installations is attributable to several offshore wind projects scheduled to come online in 2015," said Ankit Mathur, GlobalData head of power. "China is also planning an array of offshore wind projects this year, which will see it overtake the UK for annual installations.

"Additionally, the next few years will see China maintain its annual offshore wind installations around the 1GW mark, while the UK will observe relatively lower installations until 2018, when the country's next offshore growth spurt is expected," added Mathur.

Source: http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2407273/germany-set-to-overtake-uk-as-top-offshore-wind-installer-this-year