Offshore wind developments could cover 58,500km2, or 11%, of the North Sea by 2050, according to a new study.
Led by Heriot‑Watt University, the study examined both operational offshore wind farms and projects already in national development pipelines across all seven countries with North Sea waters: the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the UK, Norway and France.
Hypothetical wind farms were added to bring each country’s total capacity in line with its stated commitments.
Dr Simon Waldman, assistant professor of energy technologies at Heriot-Watt University’s School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, said: “Our scenario shows the scale that we would be looking at if every country were to build the amount of offshore wind capacity that they have promised.”
“It’s important to be clear that this isn’t a prediction of what the North Sea will look like in 2050, it’s simply a projection based on the data and national ambitions we have today.”
To create a realistic scenario...