Europe is moving towards a greener future by harnessing the potential of offshore wind energy to drive sustainable development and combat climate change. Across the continent, countries are embracing offshore wind as a cornerstone of their energy transition strategies.
We are seeing most European markets putting in place regulatory frameworks, investing in innovative technologies, and fostering strategic partnerships, signaling a collective commitment to a cleaner and more resilient energy landscape, using floating offshore wind as the key to unlock the full potential of Europe’s deepest waters.
Let’s take a closer look at the current state of the industry in some key European markets and BlueFloat Energy‘s recent activities in those countries:
United Kingdom (UK)
The UK leads the way in offshore wind in Europe with over 14 GW of installed capacity, leveraging years of experience in bottom-fixed offshore wind that developed on the back of a sound regulatory framework with the Contracts for Difference (CfD) mechanism as a key enabler for large-scale commercial deployment. With the recent announcement of the opening of its sixth CfD round “Allocation Round (AR6)”, floating wind could see a significant boost if awarded and thus provided a much-needed visibility regarding route to market for the projects currently under development. However, despite progress, challenges remain in grid infrastructure with delays in the Holistic Network Design (HND) and the need to increase investments and support to further develop UK’s ports capabilities
France
France is showing significant momentum in the development of floating offshore wind, driven by the government’s commitment to the expansion of renewable energy. Although the country is experiencing a number of delays across the different tenders, it is making steady progress towards the development of offshore wind. The first tender for floating offshore wind (AO5) in the South of Brittany and the tender off the Mediterranean coast (AO6) are expected to pave the way for larger floating offshore wind tenders across France, including AO9 to be launched in 2024.
Italy
Italy anticipates progress in its floating offshore wind sector with the long-awaited publication of the “FER2 Decree”, which will regulate the incentive scheme for renewable energy projects, including offshore wind. According to the “FER2 Decree” draft, 3.8 GW will be allocated to offshore wind in the coming four years.
The significant number of grid connection requests and scoping reports submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (more than 50 projects) manifest the high level of interest in the Italian offshore wind market. However, only those projects which secure an approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment will be allowed to participate in the upcoming tenders, thereby filtering out unqualified and less serious players.
Spain
The Spanish Ministry’s publication of the draft Royal Decree establishing the regulatory framework for offshore wind energy auctions, although later than expected, demonstrates a continued commitment towards the deployment of this cutting-edge technology and a new industrial activity with vast potential in the country. While further regulatory milestones will need to be achieved to enable the launch of the first offshore wind tender, the draft Royal Decree governing the development of offshore wind comes as a long-awaited signal that may potentially trigger further de-risking of projects in the run-up to bid submission.
One of the key aspects of this high-level draft decree that need further clarification from government officials is the simultaneous allocation through these tenders of the economic regime, grid access capacity and the concession of the maritime-terrestrial public domain. The possibility to include tender-specific prequalification and award criteria related to the environmental and socioeconomic aspects, as well as the ability of assigning up to 30% of the award criteria to non-economic criteria are also included. This highlights the government’s commitment to follow the European Commission’s recommendations when it comes to ensuring the long-term sustainability of offshore wind projects and their integration within local communities. A fundamental project development principle that BlueFloat Energy fully supports.
Portugal
The recent elections in Portugal have resulted in the change of government, which could obviously affect the dynamics of the emerging floating offshore wind market in this country. We are optimistic that offshore wind will be endorsed as an important lever for energy and climate policies by the incoming government. We look forward to working with the new administration to help develop a new floating offshore wind industry.
In order to support Europe’s offshore wind growth, BlueFloat Energy remains at the forefront of project development, spearheading initiatives to drive floating wind in France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and UK. Our activities are currently focusing on:
- FLiDAR Implementation: BlueFloat Energy has made significant progress in implementing FLiDAR technology to improve project feasibility assessments and resource monitoring, such as those in Tarahal, in Gran Canaria (Canary Islands), Tramuntana in Catalonia, Spain, Kailia and Odra Offshore Wind Projects in Italy, as well as across all our Scottish projects.
- Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) submission: BlueFloat Energy’s submission of the EIA in Italy for the Kailia and Odra projects reflects the company’s progress in project development and compliance with regulatory requirements and readiness for the first CfD tenders in this market. In the UK, scoping has been successfully submitted for all Scottish projects.
- Ground assessment: completion of geophysical and geotechnical campaigns for Bellrock, Broadshore, Sinclair and Scaraben in the UK. Geophysical and light geotechnical campaigns have been also completed in Kailia and Odra Offshore Wind Projects in Italy.
- Stakeholder engagement strategies: BlueFloat Energy’s engagement efforts are essential to fostering positive relationships with communities and regulators. We have been developing our projects across Europe for more than three years, engaging with the local stakeholders, including the local supply chain and key industrial players in every market.
- New partnerships: The formation of new partnerships, such as most recently with Plenitude in Spain, demonstrates BlueFloat Energy’s approach to collaboration, leveraging synergies, team expertise and enhances the company’s ability to deliver the best best-in-class projects.
- Euroports Partnership: Collaborating closely with Euroports, BlueFloat Energy is committed to enhancing ports infrastructure and supply chain capabilities vital for the success of floating offshore wind projects throughout Europe. This partnership signifies a joint commitment to overcoming logistical challenges and streamlining operations, ultimately facilitating the efficient delivery of offshore wind solutions to European markets, leveraging regional ports infrastructure.
In conclusion, despite various challenges such as e.g. grid constraints and regulatory uncertainties, the European floating offshore wind market is poised for growth, driven by enabling policies, technological innovation, and institutional support. BlueFloat Energy is at the forefront of driving positive change. We leverage our successful track record in floating offshore wind deployment and global industry knowledge to form strategic alliances with local partners advancing new opportunities to create ready-to-build, sustainable and bankable offshore wind projects that create the highest value for local communities.