EU Offshore Wind Having Best Year Ever, but Turbine Orders Slowing - by Stephen Lacey

Battling severe economic headwinds, Europe’s wind industry has picked up the pace and substantially increased offshore projects developed in the region.

According to the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), developers connected 132 turbines to the grid in the first half of this year. Those turbines, which have the cumulative capacity to generate 523 megawatts, represent a 50 percent increase over the first half of 2011.

As EWEA points out:  2012 has turned into a surprisingly good year for offshore wind in Europe: 2012 could turn out to be the best year ever for offshore wind energy in Europe, as a further 160 turbines, totaling 647.4 MW, are built but awaiting grid connection. But this is subject to weather conditions at sea and grid connection delays.

Read more: EU Offshore Wind Having Best Year Ever, but Turbine Orders Slowing - CleanTechnica