Key takeaways from recent Euro wind conferences

14 November 2024

We’ve been shooting the breeze on the European wind conference circuit over the past month. CoreMariners Fernando del Jesus Peñil and Jonathan Barassa attended VIND2024 in Stockholm, as well as the Spanish Offshore Wind Conference in Cádiz.

Here are their reflections on the challenges and opportunities facing the offshore wind sector.

VIND2024 - Sweden

1. Focus on political and market uncertainties overshadows technical barriers
   Non-technical issues, such as policy and regulatory concerns, dominate discussions. These often overshadow critical technical challenges. Issues like port access, vessel availability, and building a local supply chain require national cooperation to prevent future bottlenecks. This non-technical focus could hinder Sweden's progress toward energy independence and climate goals as technical resources lag.
2. Political uncertainty continues to shape the market
   Swedish wind development is heavily influenced by the current political climate, creating significant uncertainties for developers. Despite strong advocacy for removing barriers to wind project development, regulatory changes remain unpredictable between election cycles. This lack of clarity makes it difficult for developers to plan long-term projects confidently, impacting investment decisions and timelines. Examples include the Swedish government’s recent rejection of 13 projects due to military concerns, and Vattenfall’s earlier decision to pause development on a major wind project.
3. Grid connection remains a major bottleneck
   Grid limitations are the biggest technical barrier for Swedish wind development, even stalling advanced projects. With the grid unable to meet future demand, projects struggle to secure connections, limiting feasibility. Hydrogen PPAs and other alternatives are being considered but remain largely experimental, posing significant risks on a large scale.
4. New development framework creates both urgency and opportunity
   Lengthy permit processes and municipal vetoes continue to challenge Swedish wind developers. Discussions in Sweden around a new development framework, including a tender process, could reshape offshore wind development in Sweden, offering greater security for new projects. However, this raises questions around the process for projects that are currently being developed, grid connections and tender fees, creating a sense of urgency among developers to prepare for the new system.

The path forward for Sweden’s wind energy sector is complex, yet VIND2024 highlighted the sector’s resilience and commitment to innovation. This resilience will now be tested, as 13 projects have been rejected in a single sweep.

The coming years will be crucial for Swedish developers to navigate these challenges and adapt to new frameworks to ensure sustainable growth.

CoreMarine supports offshore wind projects in all stages to reduce technical uncertainties, providing developers with a strong foundation for stakeholder discussions, as seen in our latest white paper about Swedish ports and offshore wind.

Spanish Offshore Wind Conference

Meanwhile at the III Congreso Eólico Marino, industry leaders reflected on both progress and challenges in Spain’s journey towards becoming a leader in offshore wind energy. Our key takeaways included:

1. Clarity on the auction system: The recent publication of Royal Decree 962/2024 has been welcomed by the sector, providing much-needed clarity on the future auction framework. This development reduces uncertainty for developers and is a crucial step forward.
2. Urgency for next steps: While the auction framework announcement is a positive development, the sector is calling for an expedited rollout of the next phases, particularly the ministerial order. Further visibility is essential to build investment confidence, from both developers and throughout the supply chain.
3. Ports and infrastructure readiness: Several stakeholders, like Spain’s ports, are prepared to adapt their infrastructure for offshore wind projects but require more regulatory certainty to fully commit to these plans. Spain faces similar challenges to our recent analysis of Swedish ports: learn more in our white paper.
4. A prepared, resilient supply chain: Once again, Spain’s supply chain demonstrates its readiness to support the demands of floating offshore wind. However, the industry remains realistic about the challenges ahead, particularly in scaling the industrialization of construction and installation technologies.

Spain’s offshore wind sector is well-positioned to grow rapidly, but advancing requires clarity, agility, and strong collaboration across the value chain.