Finding space for offshore wind to support net zero: A methodology to assess spatial constraints and future scenarios, illustrated by a UK case study
Finding space for offshore wind to support net zero: A methodology to assess spatial constraints and future scenarios, illustrated by a UK case study
Government and commercial forecasts indicate global ambitions for 2000 GW of installed offshore wind (OW) by 2050 to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement. Set against a current global installed capacity of 56 GW offshore wind, which has taken over 30 years to achieve, the challenge of installing 35 times that capacity in the coming 30 years is considerable. Aside from the issue of the necessary pace of OW installation, another challenge is scale: Where in the ocean could and should this new infrastructure be placed? This paper presents a spatial analysis approach for assessing the location of future offshore wind that collates and integrates, metocean, geoscience, ecological and anthropogenic features and intersects with engineering requirements. A new contribution to the field is made through calibration in relation to current ocean ‘crowdedness’, which leads to a suitability ranking of new sea regions. A case study is presented to illustrate the workflow and methodology of this approach based on the United Kingdom (UK)-Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ). The UK has been selected as an exemplar due to its well-developed offshore wind sector, having the greatest installed capacity globally until the close of 2021, and as a region with ambitious and legislated offshore wind targets to meet net zero. The modelling and analysis quantify the need to eliminate the water depth barrier through floating OW technology, open up new sea regions and the associated port and grid infrastructure, as well as to assess the potential impact of increased utilisation of ocean space for OW.
Future scenarios, Marine spatial planning, Net zero targets, Offshore wind energy, Spatial constraints
Putuhena, Hugo
45e8dcec-d00a-49cb-8a25-70ea7f7b65a9
White, David
a986033d-d26d-4419-a3f3-20dc54efce93
Gourvenec, Susan
6ff91ad8-1a91-42fe-a3f4-1b5d6f5ce0b8
Sturt, Fraser
442e14e1-136f-4159-bd8e-b002bf6b95f6
29 May 2023
Putuhena, Hugo
45e8dcec-d00a-49cb-8a25-70ea7f7b65a9
White, David
a986033d-d26d-4419-a3f3-20dc54efce93
Gourvenec, Susan
6ff91ad8-1a91-42fe-a3f4-1b5d6f5ce0b8
Sturt, Fraser
442e14e1-136f-4159-bd8e-b002bf6b95f6
Putuhena, Hugo, White, David, Gourvenec, Susan and Sturt, Fraser
(2023)
Finding space for offshore wind to support net zero: A methodology to assess spatial constraints and future scenarios, illustrated by a UK case study.
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 182, [113358].
(doi:10.1016/j.rser.2023.113358).
Abstract
Government and commercial forecasts indicate global ambitions for 2000 GW of installed offshore wind (OW) by 2050 to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement. Set against a current global installed capacity of 56 GW offshore wind, which has taken over 30 years to achieve, the challenge of installing 35 times that capacity in the coming 30 years is considerable. Aside from the issue of the necessary pace of OW installation, another challenge is scale: Where in the ocean could and should this new infrastructure be placed? This paper presents a spatial analysis approach for assessing the location of future offshore wind that collates and integrates, metocean, geoscience, ecological and anthropogenic features and intersects with engineering requirements. A new contribution to the field is made through calibration in relation to current ocean ‘crowdedness’, which leads to a suitability ranking of new sea regions. A case study is presented to illustrate the workflow and methodology of this approach based on the United Kingdom (UK)-Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ). The UK has been selected as an exemplar due to its well-developed offshore wind sector, having the greatest installed capacity globally until the close of 2021, and as a region with ambitious and legislated offshore wind targets to meet net zero. The modelling and analysis quantify the need to eliminate the water depth barrier through floating OW technology, open up new sea regions and the associated port and grid infrastructure, as well as to assess the potential impact of increased utilisation of ocean space for OW.
Text
1-s2.0-S1364032123002150-main
- Version of Record
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 8 May 2023
e-pub ahead of print date: 29 May 2023
Published date: 29 May 2023
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
This project is funded by Supergen Offshore Renewable Energy ( ORE ) Hub ( EPSRC grant ref. EP/S000747/1 ), the RAEng Centre of Excellence in Intelligent & Resilient Ocean Engineering ( IROE ) and Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute ( SMMI ). Susan Gourvenec is supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering under the Chairs in Emerging Technologies Scheme. Fraser Sturt was supported in this research through the award of a Philip Leverhulme Prize by the Leverhulme Trust .
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors
Keywords:
Future scenarios, Marine spatial planning, Net zero targets, Offshore wind energy, Spatial constraints
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 479004
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/479004
ISSN: 1364-0321
PURE UUID: f83e3c82-598f-4d43-a45d-1031d94baa80
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 17 Jul 2023 16:52
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 04:03
Export record
Altmetrics
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics
