In a new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), offshore wind has the potential to power all of planet Earth. This includes both residential and commercial energy.
Renewable energy is certainly booming and solar and wind are leading the charge. However, thanks to aggressive government policies, offshore wind is really booming.
Luckily, this is only the beginning. The costs of constructing an offshore windfarm are falling fast, while the amount of energy they can produce is rising.
Just How Much Power Can They Generate?
The report estimates that at maximum capacity, they will be able to generate 120,000 Gigawatts.
Of course, this number may not mean much to you, so let’s put it into perspective.
As of today, the European Union, the leader of offshore wind, has 20 Gigawatts from their farms. That means the global capacity is 6000 times more than the world leader is producing now.
Still not impressed? In 2040, 120,000 Gigawatts is 11 times more than what the estimated power usage is. Which means it can literally power the world 11 times over.
However, we have a long way to go before we ever see that much energy from offshore wind.
Construction Requires Specific Conditions
While the potential is there, offshore wind farms do have some specific requirements to get built.
For starts, they need wind. I know, I know, you’re shocked. Each wind farm is built in a specific part of the world that has strong enough winds to produce energy.
If the wind is not strong or frequent enough, the turbines simply don’t work.
Of course, constructing wind farms in the ocean is no easy task. And with current techniques, offshore wind farms are limited to areas of the ocean that are roughly 100 feet deep.
This significantly reduces the number of locations they can be constructed.
Only once these requirements are met can an offshore windfarm be constructed.
