Sustainable enterprise
More green energy thanks to Belgian offshore wind power
The energy transition isn’t purely about producing more energy — above all, it’s about doing so more smartly, cleanly and sustainably. Offshore wind power plays a vital role in this. Our Belgian offshore wind turbines help us generate huge volumes of green electricity with minimal carbon emissions. At the same time, our offshore wind sector keeps moving toward a more circular business model. The result? An energy system that is both good for the climate and future-proof.
More green energy with fewer carbon emissions
Wind power is one of the most effective technologies we have if we want to drastically reduce the emissions generated by our electricity sector. Our offshore wind turbines produce huge volumes of renewable electricity with extremely low carbon emissions (WindEurope):
- An offshore wind farm generates 50 times fewer carbon emissions per kWh than a modern gas-fired power station.
- Once installed, wind turbines generate no carbon emissions or other harmful substances.
- What’s more, they win back the limited carbon emissions generated during their production and installation within just one year.
In doing so, offshore wind delivers an instant and lasting contribution to our climate objectives.
A driver for the electrification of other sectors
Offshore wind also contributes to the further rollout of more electrification in other sectors, such as transport, industry and heating. Our offshore wind sector:
- provides huge volumes of renewable power
- gradually replaces more and more fossil fuels
- supports new applications, such as electric transport and green hydrogen
In other words, the impact of offshore wind reaches far beyond the electricity sector alone.
Essential for our climate objectives
Europe has set ambitious climate and energy objectives. The European Commission aims to reduce net emissions by at least 55% (compared with 1990 levels) by 2030. By 2050, the intention is for Europe to be fully climate neutral.
As a first step toward meeting these targets, 42.5% of our energy mix needs to consist of renewable energy by 2030. As such, offshore wind power is an indispensable component in Belgium’s climate plans. Without our offshore wind turbines, there is no way Belgium can achieve its objectives.
Research shows that offshore wind farms produce fewer carbon emissions than modern gas-fired power stations:
- The direct carbon emissions per kWh of an operational offshore wind farm are approximately 150 times lower than those of an operational modern gas-fired power station.
- Even if we take into account the carbon emissions released during the construction and dismantling of our wind farms and the production of the necessary materials (mainly steel), the carbon emissions per kWh of a modern gas-fired power station remain approximately 50 times higher than for electricity produced by an offshore wind farm.
Recent studies have also shown that offshore wind farms not only offer protection to countless species of fish and other maritime fauna and flora, but also contribute positively to the marine environment.
Greater circularity thanks to better end-of-life procedures
Offshore wind turbines and their foundations have a lifespan of 20 to 30 years, and many last even beyond that. Once they have served their purpose, their components are reused or recycled:
- Nearly all steel and copper (i.e. the bulk of what a turbine is made of) is reused.
- Composite materials in the blades are repurposed in innovative ways.
And there’s more good news: starting from 1 January 2026, the European wind power sector has decided that the blades are no longer allowed to be sent to landfill (WindEurope). Instead, the sector is shifting more and more toward circularity and reusing materials.
Positive impact on the marine environment
Aside from being better for the climate, offshore wind farms also have a surprisingly positive effect on nature. Research has shown that offshore wind farms:
- offer protection to countless species of fish
- create new habitats for marine fauna and flora
- contribute to greater biodiversity in the North Sea
In this way, offshore wind contributes to a healthy and resilient marine environment.
Keen to find out more about the other benefits of offshore wind power?