Recharge ’s Post

By the end of 2024, the UK will have 18% of the estimated 85GW of global offshore wind capacity. If it meets its current growth plans, it will remain the second-biggest offshore wind generator globally until 2030. https://lnkd.in/eQF5TfJx #energy #utilities #renewableenergy #greenenergy #windpower #offshorewind #energytransition Offshore Energies UK

Thanks to the The Irish Times for this very fair article and it was a pleasure to discuss the unparalleled opportunities for Ireland with Kevin O'Sullivan last week. The Shannon Estuary Taskforce, at the request of the government, gave over 5,000 hours of their personal time to work on this and other opportunities. The then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Ministers Eamon Ryan, Simon Coveney, Norma Foley, all with truly inspirational words, launched our report last July including a Plan, agreed by all Stakeholders, to harvest power from Atlantic wind by 2032. One part of that plan requires investment in the 2 deep water ports of the Shannon Estuary, just like the investments that are now underway in many countries in Europe. Minister Ryan was very clear at recent IEA conference in Paris that governments need to ‘get out of the way’ and let industry get on with the work. https://lnkd.in/esXxAas8 We note government support for our State energy company ESB in its efforts to develop 2 floating wind farms for the benefit of the Scottish economy in the last several years. Just like the other developers, ESB have made no progress here on building floating wind farms, despite the need. Our new Taoiseach, Simon Harris has promised ‘a new energy’ for his tenure as leader of our government and has appointed a new generation of Ministers. Let us hope now that this government will show the vision and leadership of the first government of this State who built Ardnacrusha, the world’s largest hydroelectric plant in its day, a century ago. Today, the risk is beyond miniscule for a government spending €110 billion this year, but the rewards over the next century will be orders greater. Power from floating wind @ 10m/s will be equivalent in cost to fixed by 2035. We have 14 m/s wind speeds in the Atlantic, and as power is proportional to the cube of wind speed, 14 is 2.7 times better than 10! In this increasingly digital world, the countries that can offer large amounts of green energy to society will win, and we are already 5 years behind our neighbours. We eagerly await the new energy of this administration. The Shannon Estuary Economic Taskforce plans are ready.

Case studies from Denmark (Port of Esbjerg) and France (Port La Nouvelle, near Narbonne) in the excellent recent article by Kevin O'Sullivan in the The Irish Times shows the impact of vision and ambition for offshore wind elsewhere in Europe. Barry O'Sullivan chairman of the Shannon Estuary Economic Taskforce is quoted as saying "the Shannon estuary should be seen as the green front door for Europe, such is the depth, shelter, wet storage capacity and offshore wind speeds nearby". In order to achieve this, we can learn from our neighbours. "To justify the necessary investments, it is important to adopt a more regional or global perspective. This is the main lesson learned from the experience of Port Esbjerg, which can help the industry reach its full potential.” “Port-La Nouvelle, near Narbonne, in southern France is the only port with dedicated facilities to build and assemble offshore floating wind turbines close to the best windy location in the western Mediterranean. The port is publicly owned by Occitanie/Pyrénées-Méditerranée, the second-largest region in France, and privately managed. It is spending more than €680 million enlarging facilities, with funding secured through the regional government to ensure it does not transgress EU state aid rules. Port-La Nouvelle attracted private investment following the success of the initial partly state-funded projects”. https://lnkd.in/gceTuuMb

It was both an honour and a privilege for the UL Executive MBA 2nd Year class to engage in energetic dialogue and discussion yesterday with Chairman Barry O'Sullivan, and Task Force members @LuukVanderWielen, Siobhan Dolan Clancy & Eamonn Murphy Prof. (Emeritus) regarding the implementation of the Shannon Estuary Economic Task Force report & recommendations as part of their strategy implementation module. A truly inspirational vision which now requires urgent action! #ULMBA#ShannonEstuaryTaskForce#DesirableFutures#SustainableEnterprise

Big offshore ambitions require big thinking. Kevin O'Sullivan's article profiles Denmark's Esbjerg port and how even it struggles to keep up with the scaling of the offshore wind energy industry. In Ireland we have espoused ambitious plans for offshore wind, but without the policy clarity on how our grids and port infrastructure can match that ambition. Yesterday's inaugural speech by our new Taoiseach Simon Harris was understandably short-term in scope, but we will quickly need Government and new Enterprise Minister Peter Burke to set out how we achieve not just 2030 targets, but what our energy industry will look like in 2050 and 2060. Port infrastructure will be critical, as already outlined by industry leaders like Barry O'Sullivan. 20 MW wind turbines are coming, and we will need to get organised to handle them. Wind Energy Ireland #renewableenergy #offshorewind https://lnkd.in/e_GAd--D

Flatten the duck curve: indeed by interconnectors, but also by electrifying society, BESS and other storage, supply steered demand and hydrogen production of excess electrical power. It can be done! #offshorewind #offshorewindenergy #energytransition

The offshore wind industry is facing challenges that may result in falling short of global capacity targets. A recent analysis by energy consultancy Westwood highlights the industry's struggle to meet projections for floating wind installations. Market upheavals, inflation, and challenges related to technology standardisation and infrastructure are contributing to a shift in industry sentiment. While there is cautious optimism about the potential of floating wind, stakeholders emphasise the need to invest in manufacturing capability and infrastructure. The industry's future growth prospects remain significant, but collaboration and innovation will be crucial in overcoming these challenges. What do you think? Let’s chat. 💬 To read more, check out the link below. #WindEnergy #FloatingWind #WindSector #Ilosta #Renewables #OffshoreWind #RenewableEnergy

GWEC Applauds Brazil’s Landmark Offshore Wind Bill Brazil’s Federal Senate has passed the country’s offshore wind bill, passing the legislation on to the President for final approval.  The bill paves the way for the offshore wind sector to establish itself in the country and deliver clean, secure, and green energy. Offshore wind also presents a huge opportunity for Brazil to play a key role in the global wind industry supply and support the global energy transition on the path to Net Zero. The development of offshore wind sets Brazil on track for a new era of wind energy. Offshore wind energy will also benefit the country, economy, […] - https://lnkd.in/dFdJR_kb #windenergy #windturbines #offshorewind #windturbine #cleanenergy #climatechange #sustainability #energynews #smartenergy #windfarm #windindustry #renewableenergy #renewables #america #brazil #climatechange #gwec #offshorewind #renewableenergy #southamerica #windenergy

Today, a historical Danish offshore wind energy tender has been launched, featuring six sites, each with a minimum capacity of 1GW and the option for additional capacity. The goal is to deploy between 6 to 10 GW within six years. Given prevailing sector challenges like capital costs and supply chain delays, I'm eager to observe the tender outcome and subsequent developments. https://lnkd.in/exZWTAkF #offshore #windenergy #renewableenergy #europe

Record-smashing 25MW offshore wind turbines are slated to be deployed at a Chinese test centre currently under construction. #renewables #windpower #windfarms #greenpower #energytransition Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) Global Offshore Wind Alliance (GOWA) Asia Wind Energy Association https://lnkd.in/eX8fQFru