Delivering 450 GW of offshore wind by 2050 is feasible
21/06/2019
On June 20, 2019, in Esbjerg, Denmark, North Sea Ministers signed a joint declaration setting an ambitious target of 450 GW of offshore wind energy by 2050. The contribution of offshore wind energy is indeed essential to make the energy sector carbon neutral by 2050.
The BOP supports the ambitions and commitments for wind energy in the North Seas signed by ministers today.
According to the European Commission, about 450 GW of offshore wind energy will be needed to decarbonise the energy sector by 2050.
The Esbjerg Declaration calls on Member States to increase their national targets for offshore wind energy, strengthen international cooperation between North Sea States, facilitate access to North Sea sites, strengthen and open up transport networks for wind farm developers, coordinate the strengthening of terrestrial networks and harmonise technical standards, etc.
In Belgium, a wind capacity of 1.5 GW is currently operational. By way of comparison, 8.2 GW are operational in the United Kingdom, 6.4 GW in Germany and 1.3 GW in Denmark. By 2020, about 2.3 GW of wind energy in the Belgian North Sea will produce green electricity. After 2020, up to 2 GW of new capacity will be developed.