Together with associations and companies in the offshore wind industry, including RWE Innogy, the OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY Foundation has commissioned two studies in an effort to create a strong basis for the current discussion and a meaningful adjustment of the renewable energy act.
Both studies will be closely coordinated. The results are to be presented in the summer of 2013. Based on sound analyses, recommendations for action will be made for industry and politics.
Paul Coffey, Chief Operating Officer of RWE Innogy : “Offshore wind energy is an essential linchpin of the energy transition. With its projects, RWE Innogy contributes significantly to this development and will continue to do so in the future. However it is necessary that cost reduction will be realised and offshore wind become competitive with other sources of energy. The case studies recently commissioned will form a sound basis for adequately reflecting offshore wind energy in future energy production.”
The first study will investigate the cost reduction potential of offshore wind energy in light of the given geographic, regulatory and industrial parameters in place in Germany. There will be a systematic analysis of the conditions under which and the extent to which electricity generation costs from offshore wind energy can be reduced in coming years. Based on this, recommendations for action will be derived for implementing offshore wind parks and for further developing the supply chain as well as the regulatory environment. In doing so, the study is based on the Cost Reduction Pathways Study of the British Crown Estate and will be implemented by a consortium of Prognos AG and Fichtner Management Consulting.
The second study is going to be conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology (IWES) and will investigate the energy utility characteristics of offshore wind energy. In an energy system that is based more and more on volatile renewable energies, the holistic and systematic approach of various energy sources is of crucial importance. The aim is to guarantee security of supply and minimize system costs.
[mappress]
Press release, March 21, 2013; Image: alpha ventus