The Future of Global Offshore Wind Power: The technology, economics and impact of wind power generation

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Introduction

Offshore wind potential and site identification

Legislative and regulatory issues affecting offshore wind energy

Offshore wind technology

The environmental effects of offshore wind

The economics of offshore wind generation

The outlook for offshore wind

Chapter 1 An introduction to wind energy and offshore wind generation

Summary

Report structure

Introduction

Background

Capacity development

Chapter 2 Offshore wind potential and site identification

Summary

Introduction

Wind speed and energy output

Estimating wind speeds

Regional wind energy potential

Europe

North America

Japan

The rest of the World

Chapter 3 Legislative and regulatory issues affecting offshore wind energy

Summary

Introduction

International law

European law

The Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (1985)

European water policy

The Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds (1979); The Directive on

the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora (1992).

National policies

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

Finland

France

Ireland

Italy

The Netherlands

Poland

Sweden

United Kingdom

US

Chapter 4 Offshore wind technology

Summary

Introduction

Wind turbine design

Offshore turbines

Turbine generating capacity

Wind turbine components

Rotors

Blades

Drive train and generator

Towers

Marinization

Support structures

Monopiles

Gravity base structures

Tripods

Suction bucket

Floating wind farms

Grid connection

Energy storage

Operation and maintenance

Chapter 5 The environmental effects of offshore wind

Summary

Introduction

The advantages of wind power

The disadvantages of wind power

Visual impact

Noise

Airborne noise

Underwater noise

Construction noise

Shipping and fishing

Radar

Radio

Impact on wildlife

Birds

Marine mammals

Fish

Seabed life

Environmental impact assessment

Chapter 6 The economics of offshore wind generation

Summary

Introduction

Installation costs

Energy costs

External costs of power generation

Grid issues

Economic incentives

Financing offshore wind projects

Chapter 7 The outlook for offshore wind

Summary

Introduction

Drivers and resistors

Drivers

Resistors

The future of offshore wind power generation

Costs and benefits

Conclusion

Index and references

Index

References and notes

List of Figures

Figure 1.1: Growth in offshore wind generating capacity

Figure 2.2: European offshore wind energy resource

Figure 4.3: Wind turbine cost distribution

Figure 6.4: Comparing costs from recent offshore wind farms with costs of different generating

technologies 96

List of Tables

Table 1.1: Offshore wind energy projects

Table 1.2: Growth in offshore wind generating capacity

Table 2.3: Annual energy production (MWh)

Table 2.4: European offshore wind energy resource

Table 2.5: UK offshore wind energy resources

Table 2.6: Japan's offshore wind resource

Table 3.7: Summary of national policies on offshore wind

Table 4.8: Wind turbine cost distribution

Table 4.9: Offshore wind farm turbine size

Table 5.10: Lifetime emissions of carbon dioxide for various power generation technologies

Table 6.11: Installation cost of offshore wind farms

Table 6.12: Energy yield as a function of wind speed

Table 6.13: The cost of electricity produced by offshore wind farms

Table 6.14: Competitive costs of different generating technologies

Table 6.15: External costs for various power generation technologies within the EU

Table 7.16: Proposed offshore wind projects

Table 7.17: Second round of UK offshore wind licences