The answers may be “blowin’ in the wind,” my industry Friends, but we are all aware of the uphill (insurmountable) battle in the U.S. currently as regards offshore wind. We’ve posted about this many times, including recently, as we track the fight between Marylanders supporting offshore turbines and Marylanders (and the administration) against offshore turbines.
It made me wonder- how do we stack up against the UK and France (still allies…) when it comes to this subject? I have family in Italy, and every time I have visited in the last 50 years, the Europeans have been way ahead of us when it comes to energy conservation. I saw my first compact fluorescents in Italy.
Europe HAS to generate electricity in as efficient a way as possible. Countries are smaller, and energy costs have been traditionally astronomical compared to the U.S.. So here are some Fun Facts:
In the UK
“The UK is home to some of the largest offshore wind farms in the world, with Hornsea 2 and Dogger Bank being among the most significant projects.
Key Offshore Wind Farms Hornsea 2:
Capacity: Approximately 1.4 GW
Location: 89 km off the Yorkshire coast
Details: Currently the largest operational offshore wind farm in the UK, Hornsea 2 consists of 165 turbines and is capable of powering over 1.3 million homes.
Dogger Bank:
Capacity: 3 phases, each 1.2 GW (total 3.6 GW when completed)
Location: 130 km off the Yorkshire coast
Details: Expected to be the largest offshore wind farm in the world upon completion, Dogger Bank will provide power for approximately 4.5 million homes.
Hornsea One:
Capacity: 1.2 GW
Location: 120 km off the Yorkshire coast
Details: Previously the largest offshore wind farm before Hornsea 2, it consists of 174 turbines and can power over 1 million homes.
Walney Extension:
Capacity: 659 MW
Location: 19 km off the Walney Island coast in Cumbria
Details: This project includes 87 turbines and is one of the largest offshore wind farms in the UK.
Greater Gabbard:
Capacity: 504 MW
Location: 25 km off the coast of Suffolk
Details: Jointly owned by SSE and RWE, it was one of the first large-scale offshore wind farms in the UK.
sources:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/896705/offshore-wind-farm-capacity-united-kingdom-uk
https://www.power-technology.com/features/feature-top-10-biggest-offshore-wind-farms-uk
In France-
…”France’s offshore wind sector, while still emerging, has seen notable progress. By mid-2024, the country had 1.5 GW of installed offshore wind capacity, with 633 MW of new offshore wind capacity connected to the grid in the first half of the year. This includes major projects such as the Saint-Brieuc and Fécamp wind farms. “…
France too is struggling with everything from the money it takes to build offshore wind down to the placement offshore, much of their ministry wanting it further offshore than proposed. They realize however, that they are far behind the generation of the UK comparatively.
The generation of power via wind is a polarizing subject at present but what we can all agree on is that we love our phones, laptops, TV’s, generators, electric vehicles, and data centers. We are energy pigs. We can’t get enough, and our worlds revolve around power and consumption of power.
…where’s the power coming from Friends? Let’s not throw the turbine out with the ocean water, to paraphrase an old saying…
Jenny Boone
