Page 6 - AfrElec Week 09 2021

AfrElec COMMENTARY AfrElec

China leads offshore

wind growth in 2020

China installed 3 GW of new wind capacity wind in 2020, half the global total, as
offshore wind demonstrated its resilience to COVID-19, writes Richard Lockhart

ASIA CHINA installed over 3 GW of offshore wind Europe
capacity in 2020, almost half of global additions, Behind China with 3,060 MW, the Netherlands
WHAT: as the country leapfrogged Germany to become showed the second-biggest additions with 1,493
China installed 3 GW of the world’s largest offshore wind market behind MW. Belgium (706 MW), the UK (483 MW) and
new capacity wind in the UK. Germany (237 MW) all installed new capacity
2020 Elsewhere, steady growth in Europe was in 2020.
driven by the Netherlands and Belgium, with the The slowdown of growth in the UK was
WHY: US and South Korea coming in behind. caused by the gap between the Contracts for
Developers are rushing Total global additions stood at just over 6 GW, Difference (CfD) 1 and CfD 2.
to meet China’s feed-in making 2020 the second-best year ever, accord- In Germany, the slowdown is primarily
tariff deadline by the end ing to data from the Global Wind Energy Coun- caused by unfavourable conditions and a weak
of 2021 cil (GWC), just slightly under the total of 6.1 GW short-term offshore wind project pipeline.
seen in 2019, as the coronavirus (COVID-19) The only new floating offshore wind capac-
WHAT NEXT: slowed down installation work. Offshore growth ity recorded in 2020 was also in Europe, with 17
China should soon stood at just 23 GW in 2028. MW installed in Portugal.
overtake the UK as the The UK maintained its position at the biggest Outside China and Europe, two other coun-
world’s largest offshore offshore market with 10,206 MW, with China, tries recorded new offshore wind capacity in
wind market which showed the most additions for the third 2020: South Korea (60 MW) and the US (12
year in a row, now in second place with 9,898 MW).
MW and Germany third with 7,730 MW.
Total global offshore wind capacity reached Global resilience
35 GW, helping the world avoid 62.5mn tonnes Overall, global offshore wind capacity now
of CO2 emissions. exceeds 35 GW, a 106% rise over the past five

P6 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 09 04•March•2021