EUU, Alm.del - 2019-20 - Bilag 1010: Regeringens høringssvar vedr. strategi for vedvarende energi på havet

Europaudvalget 2019-20
EUU Alm.del Bilag 1010
Offentligt

The Danish Government’s response to the Commission’s

consultation on the offshore renewable energy strategy

The Danish Government welcomes the opportunity to comment on the upcoming

Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy and has the following comments and input.

The Danish Government

highly supports the Commission’s commitment to prioritize

the offshore renewable energy agenda. The deployment of offshore renewable en-

ergy technologies will continue to play a key role in

Europe’s

green transition and

the decarbonisation of the European economy by 2050. EU needs according to the

Commission’s estimate

between 240 and 450 GW of offshore wind capacity in or-

der to reach the ambition of climate neutrality by 2050, which makes offshore re-

newable energy a crucial pillar in the energy mix. The strategy will therefore be ex-

tremely relevant for all Member States.

In Denmark, offshore renewable energy is expected to play a significant role in the

energy mix towards 2050, in particular offshore wind. The Danish Parliament has

recently passed a Climate Act containing a binding target to reduce greenhouse

gas emissions by 70 percent by 2030 (compared to 1990-levels). Furthermore, in

June 2020, the Danish Parliament adopted a Climate Agreement, in which a range

of initiatives on energy and industry, including offshore wind, were set in motion to

deliver on the Climate Act. The agreement adds 6 GW offshore wind by 2030 by

establishing a 1 GW offshore wind farm as well as the

world’s first offshore energy

hubs

–

one in the North Sea (3 GW) and one in the Baltic Sea (2 GW). In the North

Sea, the capacity can increase to 10 GW in the longer term. The two projects will

act as power hubs for offshore wind generation, allowing the connection of several

offshore wind farms and distributing the electricity between Member States con-

nected to the respective hubs. By creating the world’s first offshore energy hubs,

Denmark and the EU will enter a new era of renewable energy production and a

paradigm shift in the way offshore wind power is approached.

Danish key priorities

Key priorities for the strategy



Coordinated planning and development of offshore grids to ensure a cost-efficient

build out of infrastructure offshore. This should be mirrored by investments in infra-

structure onshore to ensure the flow of green electricity to major consumption cen-

tres.

A coordinated approach to maritime spatial planning that ensures coexistence of

different interests offshore without compromising a cost-efficient decarbonisation of

the European energy system.

An enabling market framework for offshore bidding zones.

Date

24 September 2020



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EUU, Alm.del - 2019-20 - Bilag 1010: Regeringens høringssvar vedr. strategi for vedvarende energi på havet

Coordinated development of offshore grids

The coordinated development of offshore infrastructure, including energy hubs, has

several interesting potentials such as efficient utilisation of transmission infrastruc-

ture onshore and offshore, increased flexibility in distributing wind power to con-

sumption centres, where it is most valuable, and decreased need for highways of

power pylons onshore. A coordinated approach to infrastructure offshore using

power hubs can enable more cost-efficient deployment of offshore wind far from the

coast, which could create room for increased offshore deployment and connect Eu-

rope through a green grid. This will enhance energy security, lower consumer elec-

tricity prices as well as deliver on

EU’s

climate targets.

This type of coordinated approach to offshore grid allows for utilizing the offshore

energy hubs, introducing a new era of energy production with modular hubs con-

necting offshore wind farms with interconnectors across maritime borders. The new

approach will play an important role in the further interconnection of Europe’s en-

ergy systems, accelerating the green transition.

Strengthened regional cooperation

The Danish Government welcomes an integrated and holistic approach with a

strong emphasis on cross-border cooperation. None of the Danish or European

ambitions can be realised without regional cooperation and the support of the Euro-

pean Commission. Denmark has some of the best areas for offshore wind energy

and is committed to ensure the exploitation of this resource in order for the EU to

reach climate neutrality by 2050.

Close cooperation between Member States, TSO’s and the competent authorities

to develop common European or regional solutions will facilitate new develop-

ments. Moreover, system operation and issuing of permits should be closely coordi-

nated. Such coordination could be initiated via existing regional fora, e.g. the North

Seas Energy Cooperation and the BEMIP framework in the Baltic Sea.

Need for a coordinated approach to maritime spatial planning

Conflicting interests at sea is one of the main factors limiting the potential for off-

shore energy. If offshore wind is to be expanded to meet climate neutrality by 2050

reservation of much larger areas offshore for wind energy production is necessary

in the years to come. This requires a holistic approach to the use and management

of the sea to ensure coexistence, which also allows for the utilization of offshore en-

ergy resources. The Danish Government welcomes the focus and consideration on

this matter in the upcoming Offshore Strategy from the Commission.

The 1979 Birds Directive require Member States to designate special protected ar-

eas (SPA) without consideration to other interests, e.g. optimal locations for off-

shore wind, if the ornithological criteria for the designation as SPA are met. Since

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EUU, Alm.del - 2019-20 - Bilag 1010: Regeringens høringssvar vedr. strategi for vedvarende energi på havet

shallower waters are often well suited as both sites for offshore wind and as feed-

ing and resting grounds for sea birds, the presence of wind turbines is expected to

have an increasing cumulative effect through mainly displacement, but also through

risk of collision and barriers on migratory paths. This dilemma calls for a coordi-

nated effort at the EU level if international targets for biodiversity as well as renewa-

ble energy are to be achieved.

The Danish Government recognizes the current effort by the Commission in creat-

ing guidelines for planning and assessing the environmental impacts from renewa-

ble energy projects, especially large scale offshore wind farms, but also urge the

Commission to strongly consider if further action is needed in a situation with cli-

mate change and demand for action, where offshore wind energy will play a major

role.

Offshore bidding zones

Offshore bidding zones are expected to ensure efficient dispatch based on merit or-

der principles and to consider the actual physical bottlenecks. The Danish Govern-

ment is supportive of the Commission’s positive view on the use of offshore bidding

zones. The Danish Government therefore welcomes guidance from the Commis-

sion on how to deal with separate offshore bidding zones in order to offset the risk

profile between TSOs and developers. However, it should also be ensured that fu-

ture offshore market arrangements are not negatively affecting existing investments

in hybrid offshore projects. Member States will need to maintain a certain degree of

flexibility in order to establish the most efficient market setup for both existing as

well as future projects.

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