Sea wind energy storage sector

Do Lower offshore wind and wave energy costs lead to lower storage capacity?

We observe that lower offshore wind and wave energy costs lead to lower storage capacity installed in the Western Interconnection in 2050. This effect is most dramatically seen with more rapidly declining offshore wind costs (Fig. 2 c). We observe a maximum difference of 60 GW of storage installed (37% decrease) across scenarios.

How can offshore wind be developed around the North Sea?

There are several initiatives underway to coordinate the development of offshore wind around the North Sea. For instance, the North Sea Energy Cooperation (NSEC) by the European Commission supports and facilitates the development of offshore grid development and the large potential for renewable energy in the region 6.

Does the North Sea have a potential for offshore wind power?

The North Sea has a high potential for offshore wind development, with favorable wind conditions, shallow waters, and proximity to large markets. However, offshore wind power also faces some challenges related to its variability and integration into the grid.

What is the maximum installed offshore wind energy capacity?

In order to determine the maximum possible installed offshore wind energy capacity at each site, we assume the packing density of the offshore wind turbines to be 4.3 MW/km 2. This value is based on the average theoretical capacity density of the Morro Bay Wind Energy Area 58, which is a current offshore wind leasing area on the U.S. West Coast.

Where is the offshore wind energy industry focusing?

To date, there has been a strong focus within the offshore wind energy industry on the North and Mid-Atlantic regions of the country (see Appendix A4), but the majority of strategies and key initiatives identified in this report apply directly to all coastal regions, as national interest in offshore wind energy increases.

Is wind energy a limited resource in the North Sea?

We identified a trade-off in the clustering of offshore wind farms. Clustering supports reduced energy production costs due to reduced infrastructure investments, but these advantages can be offset by wakes effects and the consequent reduction of CF. Our results emphasize that wind energy in the North Sea can be considered a limited resource.