"We are pleased that the year that is coming to an end has offered positive developments for the offshore wind industry – despite the challenging pandemic: With the new long-term expansion target of 40 GW by 2030 and the EU expansion plans of 300 GW, our members have regained a planning perspective," said Jens Assheuer, Chairman of the WAB e.V. Board.
"However, the long-term goals alone will not help the companies in the offshore wind supply chain to make it through the expansion stop ordered by German policymakers," notes WAB Managing Director Heike Winkler. "Here we still need offshore wind construction activities before 2025, also in order to achieve the German government's expansion target of 20 gigawatts by 2030," said Winkler.
There are sufficient possibilities for a special tender and faster offshore wind expansion in the North and Baltic Seas. Free grid capacities should be used to make the best possible use of the investments made in infrastructure. This potential for offshore wind and "green" hydrogen, as well as for value creation and employment, should be exploited for a second tender in 2021.
Current estimates for energy demand up to the end of the decade show that additional offshore wind areas are urgently needed for climate-friendly electricity and "green" hydrogen. "We agree with the assessment of Lower Saxony's Energy Minister Olaf Lies, who assumes that we will not need around 590 terawatt-hours of electricity production in 2030, as the federal government believes, but 'at least 750' terawatt-hours," explained Jens Assheuer. "When it comes to the future use of areas in the North and Baltic Seas, the harmonisation of climate protection and nature conservation is right at the top of our agenda," announces Heike Winkler with a view to the election year 2021.
The current weakness of the German market can only be compensated for by turning to international markets in Europe or beyond. Therefore international networking is of particular importance for WAB member companies. With its WABinar programme, WAB offers its members the opportunity to highlight their medium-sized expertise internationally.
Especially for small and medium-sized companies, innovation driver and pioneers of the wind industry in Germany, the slowed down domestic market is increasingly becoming a question of survival. It also puts a strain on the prospects of "green" hydrogen production and, in perspective, the development of relevant export potential.
WAB is discussing these and other industry-relevant topics together with its member companies 8.2 Consulting and Monitoring, FICHTNER, sensorise and Trident Archaeology - irrespective of the cancellation of the virtual trade fair - in its accompanying programme, which also includes WABinars with WAB e.V.- Board members Jens Assheuer (WindMW), Tim Meyerjürgens (TenneT) and Markus Lesser (PNE AG) as well as the WAB cooperation partner DeepWind Cluster, Department for International Trade, ForWind and RDRWind e.V.:
https://www.wab.net/en/news/news/detail/our-programme-during-windenergy-hamburg-digital-2020/
Picture
© WindMW Service GmbH
About WAB
Bremerhaven-based WAB is the nationwide contact partner for the offshore wind industry in Germany and the leading business network for onshore wind energy in the north-west region. The association fosters the production of “green” hydrogen from wind energy. It comprises some 250 smaller and larger businesses as well as institutes from all sectors of the wind industry, the maritime industry as well as research. www.wab.net
Contact
Hans-Dieter Sohn | Senior Communications and Marketing Manager WAB e.V. | +49 173 2382802 | hans.sohn@wab.net
