Wind to make up 30 per cent of global electricity production by 2050

Wind energy will make up 30 per cent of global electricity production by 2050

Wind energy is rapidly becoming the new norm for power generation and will deliver 30 per cent of all global electricity production by 2050, with 12 per cent from offshore wind and 18 per cent from onshore wind.

In 2019, mega wind projects achieved a new UK record low of £39.65 ($51.05) per MWh – a 30 per cent price drop on 2017 prices. New projects such as the 30MW Block Island wind farm in Rhode Island in the US will help to expand the potential of global offshore wind.

These are just some of the forecasts by DNV GL, a global quality assurance and risk management company with presence in more than 100 countries, in a new report, Offshore wind: The power to progress, which was published recently.

The report delves into 12 key factors with influence on the adoption of offshore wind and focuses on the successes, challenges, and lessons learnt. It provides an insight into the future of offshore wind and how expansion can be accelerated.

When looking at the future of offshore wind energy, two mega-trends are very clear. Firstly, the relentless drive to reduce the levelised cost of energy (LCoE); secondly, as a result of the first trend, turbines and wind farms will continue to get bigger.

As wind technology progresses, the reports outlines the increased use of robotics and AI. In construction, robots will initially supplement human capabilities, for example, in heavy lifts and underwater work. They will go on to handle an increasing amount of offshore wind farm construction, especially for wind farms located in remote and hazardous environments.

On the operations and maintenance side, robots will take on activities, such as on-site repairs and inspections inside, outside (by drones and crawlers) and below the surface (by remotely operated vehicles).

“The threat of climate change and the need to meet internationally-agreed emissions targets has prompted governments to take major steps towards a lower-carbon energy system. However, we still have a long way to go,” said Ditlev Engel, CEO at DNV GL – Energy.

“The good news is that, after years of impressive progress, offshore wind is ramping up to full commercial maturity and is now becoming a major contributor to global energy production.

“Now is the right time to pause and ask the question: What have we learnt and how can we push the boundaries of progression much faster in order to fully capitalise on offshore wind going forward,” Engel noted.

Having been involved in the offshore wind market since its inception, the report covers in detail the insights and experiences of DNV GL’s offshore wind experts from around the globe.