Dusseldorf The energy group RWE wants to build floating wind farms off the coast of South Korea. The largest German electricity producer has signed a letter of intent with the city of Ulsan, said RWE. Projects with an installed capacity of up to 1.5 gigawatts are planned. “South Korea’s good wind conditions in close proximity to important economic centers open up great opportunities for floating wind turbines in great water depths,” said Sven Utermöhlen, Head of Wind Offshore at RWE Renewables.
Before construction can begin, however, RWE must first consult with authorities, associations and local interest groups, after which a feasibility study is to be carried out.
The cooperation is intended to help South Korea achieve its climate goals. Ulsan Mayor Song Chul-ho said: “South Korea is in the process of switching its energy mix from nuclear and coal to renewable energies. The city of Ulsan aims to be climate neutral by 2050. In order to achieve this, we have to use the existing wind resources off our coast. ”He expects the joint project to generate growth and new jobs.
According to a message from RWE, South Korea intends to expand its installed offshore wind capacity to twelve gigawatts by 2030 and cover 30 percent of its electricity requirements from renewable energies. For the project, the city of Ulsan wants to use its relationships and local networks to support RWE – especially during the planning and approval phase.
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RWE is number two in the world for offshore wind turbines. The company currently operates 17 offshore wind farms in five countries. The company aims to triple its offshore wind capacity from the current 2.4 gigawatts to eight gigawatts by 2030.
Various floating wind projects in the test phase
The planned expansion is part of a major investment and growth strategy called “Growing Green”, which RWE announced in mid-November expand to 50 gigawatts. That is almost as much as the capacities of onshore wind power currently in all of Germany. And this is also the focus of RWE’s new direction. The company has already filled almost half of the planned expansion with projects for wind farms over the next few years.
RWE is already active in the field of floating wind energy parks (floating offshore wind). In Japan, for example, the company plans to work with the utility Kansai Electric Power to build an offshore wind farm with floating systems. In Spain, RWE is currently testing a catamaran-like structure made up of prefabricated modules that can adjust to the current and swell. The floating foundation is to be installed together with a two-megawatt wind turbine in the port of Bilbao. The project is expected to start operations in mid-2022.
In Maine, USA, RWE is testing a concrete platform floating half below the surface of the water with an overlying eleven megawatt turbine, which is expected to go into operation in 2024. The most advanced is a project off the Norwegian coast, the so-called TetraSpar demonstrator, which is located in 200 meters water depth and is currently being put into operation. By 2030, RWE wants to have floating offshore systems in the order of one gigawatt in operation or under construction.
The change from the dirtiest company in Europe to one of the largest renewable energy groups on the continent is above all an economic necessity: RWE expects profit increases of up to nine percent per year thanks to the green investment offensive. By 2030, the profit from the core business is expected to double to up to five billion euros compared to the current financial year.
With agency material
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