Utility-scale solar PV and onshore wind are the cheapest options for new electricity generation in a significant majority of countries worldwide. Global solar PV capacity is set to almost triple over the 2022-2027 period, surpassing coal and becoming the largest source of power capacity in the world. The report also forecasts an acceleration of installations of solar panels on residential and commercial rooftops, which help consumers reduce energy bills. Global wind capacity almost doubles in the forecast period, with offshore projects accounting for one-fifth of the growth. Together, wind and solar will account for over 90% of the renewable power capacity that is added over the next five years.
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Europe built 19 GW of new wind energy capacity in 2022. 16 GW of those were in the EU. That’s 40% up on 2021. But it’s much less than what’s needed for the EU’s 2030 goals. And investments in new wind farms and new wind turbine orders were down in 2022: due to unhelpful Government interventions in electricity markets and inflation. The EU and national Governments must restore investor confidence. And they must engage proactively to support the European wind supply chain and enable it to grow.
Europe built 19 GW of new wind energy capacity in 2022. Germany built the most followed by Sweden, Finland, France and the UK. Europe now has 255 GW of wind energy capacity. Those are some of the findings of the WindEurope Annual Statistics report 2022 published today.
87% of the new wind capacity Europe built last year was onshore. There was only 2.5 GW of new offshore wind farms.
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Spain lining up a big offshore wind project. Good.
The wind sector considers that the approval of the POEM means a necessary and positive step to start the deployment of offshore wind in Spain, at a time when the countries around us already have their plans. It is essential to have knowledge of the areas where it will be possible to install offshore wind farms so that the wind sector can advance with the development of projects and mobilize investments in the short term.
The process of elaboration of the POEM has been long and complex, precisely because of the need to analyze and weigh a multitude of factors related to the different activities that take place in the marine environment and to preserve the natural values of the coast and the sea. For this reason, since the public consultation on the first drafts was held in June 2021, the Administration has applied different changes and cuts to the initially proposed layout.
Some areas initially contemplated for offshore wind have been eliminated, and many others have been cut. In addition, the priority status that the initial drafts gave to offshore wind power has been eliminated, leaving wind farms as areas of high potential. However, and in a first assessment, the wind sector values the result as positive since it identifies sufficient area to carry out the deployment contemplated for 20230 in the Offshore Wind and Sea Energy Roadmap.
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Germany adding more wind power to their North Sea presence:
Vestas has been appointed as the preferred wind turbine supplier for the up to 1.6 GW Nordseecluster wind farm in Germany, a joint venture between RWE and Northland Power.
The cluster consists of four offshore wind project sites in the German North Sea, North of the island of Juist. Subject to the project reaching a Final Investment Decision (FID), Vestas will provide 104 of its V236-15.0 MW offshore wind turbines. Once installed, Vestas will service the Nordseecluster under a multi-year Operations and Maintenance (O&M) service contract.
“We are proud to announce this preferred supplier agreement with RWE and Northland Power, two important partners, to jointly support the German energy targets and to increase the security of energy supply. Once completed, the Nordseecluster will contribute significantly to add clean electricity to the German grid,” said Nils de Baar, President of Vestas Northern & Central Europe. “This agreement also shows the competitiveness of the V236-15.0 MW wind turbine for projects scheduled in the second half of this decade.”
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EU solar power soars by almost 50% in 2022: Which country installed the most? | Euronews.
Solar power in Europe has soared by almost 50 per cent in 2022, according to a new report from industry group SolarPower Europe.
It reveals that the EU installed a record-breaking 41.4 GW of solar this year - enough to power the equivalent of 12.4 million homes. That is a 47 per cent increase from the 28.1 GW installed in 2021.
In one year, the bloc’s capacity to generate power from this renewable source has increased by 25 per cent.
“The numbers are clear. Solar is offering a lifeline amid energy and climate crises,” says Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe.
“No other energy source is growing as quickly or reliably as solar.”
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