Bent Christensen: Offshore Wind Technology Ready for COP21 Targets

It has been said more than once so far that offshore wind is a resource that can largely contribute to meeting the targets set out in the Paris Agreement. According to Bent Christensen, Vice President at Siemens Gamesa, offshore wind technology is already at a point to help meet COP21 goals.

Offshore wind technology is already there to help meet the COP21 targets and reach 6,100TWh of annual wind generation by 2040, but there has to be political will behind it. Currently, the wind energy generation is at 717TWh, Christensen said during the opening of the Offshore WIND Conference in Amsterdam.

Looking at Europe in the long run, offshore wind can provide the European countries with energy independence.

Christensen went on to address the question of cost reduction and said Siemens is looking at the entire supply chain to cut costs.

Specifically, the company plans to reach a 40% cost reduction in foundations. Here, Bent Christensen named the Nissum Bredning project as a real-life example of the efforts to cut the costs. The project serves as a testing site for Siemens’ new technology.

According to Offshore WIND’s conversation with Bent Christensen earlier this year, Siemens Gamesa is undoubtedly following the developers’ need for more powerful turbines and is looking towards 2024 as a time when 13-15MW turbines will be on the market.

Reporting: Adnan Duraković, Offshore WIND; Editing: Offshore WIND Staff