Ports are key to offshore wind development. To deliver the offshore wind expansion set out in the EU’s Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy, Europe’s ports must expand and add new infrastructure.
In a new report, A 2030 Vision for European Offshore Wind Port: Future Trends and Opportunities, WindEurope estimates that €6.5 billion of investment in port infrastructure will be needed by 2030. These investments would pay back in just five years. The development of port infrastructure is commonly a matter for local, regional and national authorities. But given the strategic importance of ports to fulfilling the EU’s goals for offshore renewable energy, the European Commission should develop a strategy for the development of port infrastructure. And it should mobilise financial instruments to support the necessary investments. At the same time Governments should ensure that ports are reflected in their national recovery strategies.