Germany will become the world's leading market for annual offshore wind turbine installations in 2015, according to a report from research and consulting firm GlobalData.
The company's latest report states that global annual offshore wind installations will more than double, to 3.9 GW this year, from nearly 1.7 GW in 2014. The consultancy expects offshore wind to dip slightly in 2016, when nearly 3.3 GW are expected to come online.
As for the U.K., offshore wind installations will remain relatively steady, decreasing marginally from 813 MW in 2014 to 801 MW this year. Moreover, the U.K. will slip down to third place in the rankings. China will surge into second position with 817 MW in 2015, as the country is planning an array of offshore wind projects this year.
‘Germany's huge increase in offshore installations is attributable to several offshore wind projects scheduled to come online in 2015,’ explains Ankit Mathur, GlobalData's practice head for power.
‘Additionally, the next few years will see China maintain its annual offshore wind installations around the 1 GW mark, while the U.K. will observe relatively lower installations until 2018, when the country's next offshore growth spurt is expected.’
The report also states that last year saw the order intake for offshore wind turbines rise at a blockbuster compound annual growth rate of 367% to 1.3 GW in 2014 from 288 MW in 2013.
In terms of company share, Siemens remained the market leader in 2014 with an offshore order intake of 690 MW, followed by Areva with 350 MW.
