Abstract
This Energy Insights report examines the emerging offshore wind energy sector
in Europe and its prospects for North American market penetration. We first
provide an overview of the industry' s steady development abroad as well as its
current status in the United States and Canada. We explore some of the
promising technical advances that are improving offshore wind technologies'
performance and then evaluate project economics. Next, we provide a detailed
accounting of offshore wind activity throughout North America and analyze the
major variables influencing the industry' s outlook. We end with a prognosis for
offshore wind' s near- to medium-term health from regional and global
perspectives.
According to Nadav Enbar, senior research analyst, Energy Insights, "Though a
commercialized offshore wind energy project is yet to debut in North America,
expanding renewable portfolio standard (RPS) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
policy making, an emerging regulatory framework, as well as technical advances
and potential, presage near-term development. Energy Insights is bullish on the
offshore wind energy sector and pegs worldwide growth, primarily in Europe, at
roughly 4,500MW through to 2012. The first U.S. projects will, meanwhile, come
online post-2012, with North American development accelerating to upward of
3,100MW by 2020."
Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- Energy Insights Opinion
- In This Report
- Situation Overview
- Table: Geographic Dispersion of Operational Offshore Wind Energy Projects, Year-End 2007
- Figure: Offshore Wind Market Development in Europe, 2000-2007
- Table: Overview of Selected U.S. Offshore Wind Projects
- Figure: Global Offshore Wind Power Installed Capacity and Cumulative Capacity, 2006-2011
- Technology Developments: Bigger, Moving to Deeper Depths
- Figure: Progression of Expected Wind Turbine Evolution to Deeper Water
- Offshore Wind' s Economic Equation
- Recent North American Offshore Wind Activities
- Table: Status of Select North American Wind Development Activities
- U.S. Offshore Wind Development Activities
- Federal-Level Direction and Support Increasing
- Texas Issues Competitive Offshore Wind Bid Leases
- MMS Green Lights Cape Wind: Possibility of 2008 Permit
- Delaware Offshore Wind Proposal to Delmarva Power Imperiled by Cost Concerns
- Long Island Power Authority Planned Offshore Project Terminated Due to Cost Concerns
- Offshore Proposal to Supply Power to New York City Draws on Lessons Learned from Failed LIPA Project
- New Jersey Receives Three Offshore Wind Energy Proposals
- Rhode Island Receives Application for Upward of 1.2GW, But Proposed Moratorium a Threat to Development
- Preliminary FERC Permit Sought for Wind/Wave Hybrid Installation in Washington State
- South Carolina, Georgia Utilities Separately Engaging/Engaged with Universities to Evaluate Offshore Prospects
- Canadian Offshore Wind Development Activities
- Great Lakes Offshore Wind Proposals Move Forward in Ontario
- NaiKun Wind Farm on Track to Begin Construction in 2009
- Meeting the Challenges Ahead
- Figure: Horns Rev Wind Farm, Denmark
- Future Outlook
- Essential Guidance
- Actions to Consider
- Actions for Offshore Wind Project Developers
- Actions for U.S. Utilities
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- Related Research
- Energy Insights Research
- Other Research
- Synopsis
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