TGS has predicted that 2021 will be a bumper year for the offshore wind industry as the company prepares to devote more of its geoscience resources to the sector.
TGS has predicted that 2021 will be a bumper year for the offshore wind industry as the company prepares to devote more of its geoscience resources to the sector.
‘Already this year there have been a number of eye-catching announcements that indicate a positive direction of travel for the sector and bodes well for considerable growth in the near-term and the years beyond,’ the company said.
‘One of the industries that are best placed to take advantage of offshore wind’s growth is the oil and gas industry, with its unique history of decades of shallow and deepwater field development. From fabricators and seismic operators to construction specialists and shippers, a large number of oil and gas companies are swiftly making the transition over to the offshore wind market due to the alignment of the skills required for both industries.’
TGS pointed to the auction of seabed plots for offshore windfarms off the coasts of England and Wales and two windfarm sites in the Irish Sea that are attracting bids of some $200 million each.
Meanwhile, the Danish government confirmed that it had taken a majority stake in a £25 billion artificial ‘energy island,’ due to be built 80 km offshore, in the middle of the North Sea. The energy hub will be the largest construction project in Danish history. Alongside an additional wind hub on the Baltic island of Bornholm, the two hubs will initially support 5GW of wind generation and triple Denmark’s installed offshore wind to as much as 12GW.
Finally, Shell has signed an agreement with Irish marine renewables developer, Simply Blue Energy to acquire a 51% share in a floating wind farm to be built in the vicinity of the Kinsale gas fields off the southern Irish coast, which are being decommissioned. As floating wind technology can be installed in deep waters, it will allow the Emerald Project to be sited between 35 km and 60 km offshore, while reducing any visual impact, said TGS.
‘These and other recent heavyweight announcements prove that Europe is now a clear leading force in offshore wind and other green technologies that power the energy transition.’ TGS said.
In 2020, the European Commission laid out its Green Deal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. As part of this goal, it stated a need to increase offshore wind capacity to 300GW for the continent’s targeted carbon reductions to be met. The EU has highlighted its €672.5bn ($800 million) Recovery and Resilience Facility, of which it has earmarked a minimum of 37% towards green transition, said TGS
