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It’s no secret that wind is now a key component

of renewable energy generation globally. Although


most attention has focused on onshore sites, as
these sites become saturated over the next few years,
companies will race to develop offshore wind farms.
The opportunity is huge, particularly in Western and
Northern Europe, where offshore wind investments
are expected to grow three times faster than onshore
investments. But the challenges are also significant.
What will it take to build a winning position in this
fast-growing industry?

The Rush for Offshore Wind

P ER S P EC T I V E S
P ER S P EC T I V E S The Rush for Offshore Wind

The Right Climate Sailing Ahead

The attention increasingly shifts to offshore Operational excellence and innovation are
wind farms, with Europe as a major growth area critical for building a leading position. Like their
and other regions just starting to pick up. The onshore counterparts, offshore players need to
advantages are apparent. Strong and steady sea focus on eliminating the bottlenecks that can
winds translate into a large power supply. And quickly derail offshore projects and find new
offshore installations do not have to deal with ways to reduce costs at the same time.
terrestrial logistics constraints. These condi-
Ensuring access to key components and
tions allow for bigger wind turbines with higher
capacity. To prevent supply chain disruptions,
power output.
wind-turbine manufacturers need to scrutinize
Yet the maritime environment also poses vertical integration opportunities. A less costly
various challenges. Wind turbines made mostly alternative is to collaborate with key suppliers,
out of steel need to operate for 20 years in a possibly through joint investments. Supplier
corrosion-prone environment. And the floating agreements need to provide flexibility and keep
wind mills expected to allow wind park deploy- working capital at reasonable levels.
ment at any depth remain unproven, techno-
Securing sufficient logistics capability. The
logically speaking. Challenges regarding grid
current fleet of specialized installation ships
connection also increase with the distance from
will not be sufficient to meet demand. Project
the shore. Offshore, like onshore, requires heavy
developers need to proactively address this issue,
upfront investments at a time when credit is
either by booking remaining capacity early or by
tight. Offshore projects still represent a signifi-
investing in their own ships.
cant financial risk because of companies’ limited
experience with large-scale projects. Managing product costs. To be competi-
tive, wind-turbine manufacturers also need to
There are, however, clear signs that these
innovate to reduce product-related costs. Design-
constraints will ease and that the offshore market
to-cost; greater commonality of parts, in conjunc-
will quickly mature. The European Union is
tion with supplier rationalization; and sourcing
making significant funds available to support the
from low-cost countries are must-have practices
offshore wind industry. For example, the 2009
for keeping development and product costs
European Energy Program for Recovery dedi-
down. Companies also need to focus on control-
cates 14 percent of its €4B envelope to co-funding
ling costs throughout the rest of the product
offshore wind projects. Germany and the UK
life cycle, including maintenance and decom-
have already established large incentive schemes
missioning. Truly breakthrough innovations
and specific decision-making bodies to accelerate
will require collaboration between wind turbine
the installation of wind parks.
manufacturers and operators.
Not surprisingly, competition in the offshore
As the offshore wind race intensifies,
wind industry is quickly heating up. Vestas and
mastering the technical and regulatory complexi-
Siemens, the initial market leaders, now face
ties of the offshore wind market will no longer
increased competition—not only from purely
be sufficient to ensure success. To win tomorrow,
offshore players like Multibrid or Bard, but
companies need to focus on operational excel-
also from other onshore manufacturers like
lence and innovation today.
Nordex and REpower, which have expanded
their product portfolios and scaled production to Stephane Crosnier (scrosnier@prtm.com) is a
compete in the offshore wind space. PRTM principal based out of the Paris office.

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