OFFSHORE WIND POWER SEEN AS KEY CONTRIBUTOR TO POST-COVID-19 ECONOMIC RECOVERY

The technology for floating wind power systems is expected to mature within this decade, paving the way for adoption in locations such as the Philippines, according to the Global Wind Energy Council.

The GWEC’S Global Offshore Wind Report 2020 showed that the maturation of floating technology would triple the technical potential for offshore wind across the world. Initially, the key markets will be France, Japan, South Korea, Scotland, Norway, Portugal, Spain and the United States Pacific Coast.

“Once commercial scale projects are established and costs come down many other locations will come into play, for example South Africa, Canada, the Philippines and many island states,” the report said.

In a statement, GWEC said offshore wind was deemed as a major contributor to POSTCOVID-19 economic recovery by governments around the world.

Europe remains the leading market in terms of installations, although the Asia-pacific region is primed to take off.

The industry association said floating offshore wind will reach full commercialization by 2030 with at least 6,000 megawatts installed globally.

“Offshore wind is truly going global, as governments around the world recognize the role that the technology can play in kickstarting POSTCOVID-19 economic recovery through large-scale investment, creating jobs and bringing economic development to coastal communities,” GWEC chief executive Ben Backwell said

“Over the coming decade we will see emerging offshore markets like Japan, Korea and Vietnam move to full deployment, and see the first offshore turbines installed in a number of new countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa,” Backwell added.

According to the World Bank, the Philippines has the opportunity to host 178,000 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind power projects at a time when investments in this industry promises to buffet efforts to kickstart economic recovery.

The technical potential for offshore wind projects in the country is pegged at 18,000 MW of fixed installation and 160,000 MW of floating facilities.

Fixed wind farms are appropriate at water depths of less than 50 meters while floating farms may be installed on waters less than a kilometer deep. All the potential sites are within the Philippines exclusive economic zone, within 200 kilometers from the shoreline.

The Triconti Windkraft Group of Companies, a partnership between Filipino-swiss-german firms, has secured from the Department of Energy contracts related to an offshore wind project in Aparri Bay off Cagayan province in northern Luzon and another in Guimaras Strait—potentially having a combined output of up to 1,200 megawatts.