The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) welcomes the key role given to offshore wind energy in the European Commission's Strategic Energy Review (SER) published this morningand above all its commitment to publish a Blueprint for a North Sea offshore grid. With 1,486 MW of capacity currently installed offshore and 30,882 MW more capacity planned by 2015^[1]investor interest is highbut the sector needs a European legislative frameworkincluding a dedicated offshore grid to reach its full potential.

"The European Commission has identified Europe's largest untapped energy resources and understands  offshore wind power's importance as a cleaninexhaustible and above all  indigenous source in a carbon and energy constrained future"said Christian KjaerEWEA Chief Executive. "With its  decision to develop a Blueprint for a North Sea  offshore gridthe European Commission is addressing the key barrier to unlocking  its massive potential".

Although nine countries - one-third of the  EU Member States - now have operational offshore wind farmsup from just five 11  months agothe offshore electricity infrastructure needs to be vastly improved  and the overall electricity grid updated and reinforced. Cruciallythe  European Commission gives one of its aims in the Strategic Energy Review as to  "ensure the development of the grid to permit the achievement of the EU's  renewable energy objectives".

"An offshore grid and increased  interconnector capacity will allow large amounts of offshore wind energy to be  integrated into the electricity networkwhile improving the functioning of the  internal electricity market" Kjaer stated. "This will reduce consumer electricity  pricesavoid fuel and carbon costscreate jobs and help curb Europe's increasing dependence on expensive and  environmentally harmful fuel imports from unstable and unpredictable regions of  the world."

A section of the SER is devoted to the  importance of renewables. It gives the Commission's intention to identify and  tackle barriers to their developmentstarting with the tabling of a communication  entitled "Overcoming barriers to  Renewable Energy in the EU" in 2010. This decision demonstrates that the  Commission is aware of the need to reduce obstacles and is actively taking  steps to do so.

The SER will provide the basis for an  Energy Action Planwhich should be adopted at the Spring Council 2010 and form  the new EU energy policy.

To read the  European Commission's press releaseplease click here
For more  information on EWEAplease click here

[1] The figure is made up of the offshore wind farms in the EU that are operatingunder construction or envisaged to be online by 2015. The latter are projects that have submitted official applications or are in an advanced state of development. Changes or delays could result from supply chain constraintsplanning or grid issues and some may not reach construction phase.

Note to editors:

                           
• EWEA is the voice of the wind industryactively promoting the                                 utilisation of wind power in Europe and worldwide. It now has over 500                                 members from 50 countriesincluding manufacturers with a 90% share of                                 the world wind power marketplus component suppliersresearch                                 institutesnational wind and renewables associationsdevelopers                                electricity providersfinance and insurance companies and consultants.                                 This combined strength makes EWEA the world's largest and most powerful                                 wind energy network.