Spain and Italy seem less fired up in developing wind power than say Scotland and Germany. Indeed Germany’s offshore wind market should have a good year in 2014 to balance a decreasing onshore sector. However, even here plans for 2020 have been scaled back from 8 GW to 6.5 GW because of delays and grid connections.
With the UK licensing up to 40 GW of potential offshore wind areas against a 2020 target of just 10 GW capacity, there are likely to be some projects falling by the wayside. That 19GW target has already been revised down from the 18 GW stated in the government’s renewables roadmap issued in 2011.
The EU not only needs to take stock of how countries are progressing towards 2020 targets but also what targets to set beyond 2020. Initial discussions will begin in a few weeks but an agreement and new targets are unlikely to be agreed until next year.
In the US market, it is hoped 2014 will be better than in 2013. As an example, Iberdrola Renewables says it has more than 500 MW in late-stage development beginning construction, and its 202-MW Baffin Wind Farm in Kenedy County, Texas (picture below) will be online by year’s end, making the complex’s combined 606 MW wind power the company’s largest renewable energy facility worldwide.
Cautious optimism for 2014 seems to be the order of the day….