Top News of 2017 – Editors’ Picks

The Offshore WIND editorial team brings you a list of what, in our opinion, were the most significant developments in the offshore wind industry in 2017.

Germany Accepts First Subsidy-Free Offshore Wind Auction Bid

Germany’s Bundesnetzagentur has selected three offshore wind projects by DONG Energy and one project by EnBW in the first auction for grid connections and funding for existing offshore wind farm projects, with at least one of the developers offering the lowest price bid of 0.00 Euro cents per kilowatt-hour.

Artificial North Sea Island Plan Moves Ahead

TenneT Netherlands, Energinet.dk and TenneT Germany will sign a trilateral agreement on developing the North Sea Wind Power Hub project during the North Seas Energy Forum in Brussels on 23 March, in the presence of Maroš Šefčovič, European Commissioner for Energy Union.

RVO: Developers Ready to Build and Operate OWFs Subsidy-Free

Businesses are prepared to start constructing and operating the Hollandse Kust Zuid I & II without government subsidy, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) said after the application period for subsidy-free bids closed yesterday, 21 December.

MHI Vestas Launches 9.5 MW Offshore Wind Turbine

MHI Vestas Offshore Wind has launched the V164-9.5 MW wind turbine to re-affirm the company’s drive to lower the cost of energy for offshore wind.

Three Offshore Wind Projects Secure Contracts for Difference as Strike Prices Go Down

The UK government has awarded three offshore wind projects with Contracts for Difference (CfD) in the second round of auctions with strike prices going as low as GBP 57.50/MWh for projects scheduled for commissioning in 2022/23.

Australia Thinks Big with First Offshore Wind Project

The government of Australia’s state of Victoria has welcomed plans for the establishment of the country’s first offshore wind farm in Gippsland.

Scotland Now Powered by Floating Wind

Hywind Scotland, the first floating wind farm in the world, has started delivering electricity to the Scottish grid and the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon officially opened the wind farm today, 18 October.

South Korea’s First Commercial Offshore Wind Farm Goes Live

South Korean Tamra offshore wind farm was officially opened today (17 November) at a ceremony attended by South Korea’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, Paik Ungyu, and the officials from Korea South-East Power, the wind farm’s developer.

China’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm Goes Online

The 300MW Huaneng Rudong project – China’s largest offshore wind farm – was officially put into operation on Saturday, 30 September.

Bay State Wind Project First in U.S. to Receive Site Assessment Plan Approval

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has issued its first approval of an offshore wind Site Assessment Plan (SAP) to Bay State Wind, a utility-scale offshore wind project in Massachusetts located 15 nautical miles south of Martha’s Vineyard in the Atlantic Ocean.

Siemens Gamesa Integrates Adwen in Its Offshore Business

Siemens Gamesa has agreed to integrate Adwen within the group’s broader offshore operations, which will allow it to better serve its customers and maximise business opportunities, Siemens Gamesa informed in its Q3 report, released on 26 July.

Wind Power-Battery Hybrid to Keep Burbo Bank Grid Frequency Steady

DONG Energy has announced plans to offer frequency response from its existing Burbo Bank offshore wind farm using a combination of wind power and battery.

E.ON Wins Robin Rigg Dispute Against MT Højgaard

The UK Supreme Court has ruled against MT Højgaard (MTH) in the Robin Rigg offshore wind farm dispute and in favour of E.ON Climate and Renewables.

Taiwan Issues First Offshore Wind Commercial Operating Licence

Taiwan has issued its first ever commercial operating licence for an offshore wind farm – the 8MW Formosa I Phase I wind farm off the Miaoli County.

Japan Set to Open New Offshore Wind Territories

Japan Wind Power Association (JWPA) has urged the Japanese government to introduce a new law which will allow construction of offshore wind farms outside port-related sea areas.