EU offshore wind power capacity increases by 50% in the first half of 2012
Bruxelles, Belgium – In the first half of 2012 132 new offshore wind turbines with a total capacity of 523.2 megawatts (MW) were fully grid connected in Europe.It is a 50% increase compared to the same period in 2011 when 348.1 MW were installed. This is the result of an actual report of the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA). 2012 could turn out to be the best year ever for offshore wind energy in Europe, as a further 160 turbines, totalling 647.4 MW, are built but awaiting grid connection. But this is subject to weather conditions at sea and grid connection delays. A total of 4,336 MW offshore wind capacity was operating as of 30 June 2012 - up from 3,294 MW in June 2011 - producing electricity for the equivalent of 4 million households.
"Offshore wind power creates jobs in Europe, reduces our fuel import costs, and avoids the global and local health and environmental costs of extracting, transporting and burning fossil fuels. Offshore wind power is increasingly attracting investors, including pension funds and other institutional and corporate investors, but it would be good to see more activity in southern Europe where jobs, investments and growth are desperately needed," said Christian Kjaer, Chief Executive Officer of the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) in Brussels.
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