Page 24: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (April 2018)

OFFSHORE RENEWABLE ENERGY

About the Author

Under the Sea

Jessica Williams is an analyst at S&P

Global Ratings, where she contributes to environmental and climate risk research focused on energy transition

A Roadmap for Renewable Energy risk, energy storage, climate policy, and

ESG risk.

Thanks to increasing levels of debt substantial electricity demands due to Western Link is also bi-directional. This as well as the environmental impact of ? nancing for climate-aligned projects, legacy issues of gas and electric trans- means that, while these cables enable construction and implementation. wind-generated power has become one mission constraints, as well as limited certain areas to bene? t from excess re- For example, with more robust un- of the fastest-growing green industries. geographical access to renewable alter- newable power generated elsewhere, dersea cables come greater distances to

Jessica Williams, an Infrastructure Ana- natives (such as solar or wind). Nonethe- electricity can also ? ow in the opposite shore and harsher sea conditions – two lyst at S&P Global Ratings, considers the less, New York State has made renew- direction, according to electricity supply important considerations when it comes submarine technologies that are making able development a primary policy goal and demand requirements. In turn, this to both the construction and operation this progress possible. Renewable ener- under its Clean Energy Standard – which promotes grid stability at both ends – phases of offshore wind projects. These gy is making an increasing contribution mandates that 50% of its electricity orig- and the longevity of the cable. risks become accentuated when there are to the electrical grid. By the end of 2016, inates from renewable sources by 2030. In Germany, the transmission system discrepancies between the technologies “green energy” sources accounted for al- So, although the target is ambitious, operator (TSO) TenneT Holding B.V proposed at the bidding phase and those most a quarter of the world’s electricity New York State’s carbon reduction goals (TenneT), has raised €1 billion of green that are, in fact, installed during the con- supply, according to REN21. Wind pow- are ? exible enough to incorporate green bonds to ? nance transmission lines con- struction phase. Indeed, some German er has contributed signi? cantly to this energy transmitted from elsewhere. necting offshore wind projects in the utilities – in structuring their assumed shift and is second only to hydropower in This is particularly signi? cant for Long North Sea to the German grid. Indeed, costs – have put their faith in technol- terms of renewable capacity. And largely Island, which bene? ts from the Cross an increasing number of projects in the ogy improving between now and 2021, thanks to de-carbonization efforts world- Sound Cable, an undersea transmission North Sea are contributing to impressive when future offshore wind projects will wide, wind energy’s market penetration line that transmits excess clean elec- European wind power growth; accord- be built. Reducing environmental im- is increasing; the Global Wind Energy tricity across Long Island Sound from ing to WindEurope, the region enjoyed pact at the construction phase of a wind

Council (GWEC) estimates global ca- renewable-rich New England. a record year in 2017, adding 14GW to project is a key priority, too. For this, pacity will reach 817 gigawatts (GW) by In addition to its vast hydrologic and the renewables grid. In the Asia Paci? c comprehensive environmental impact 2021, a 68% increase from 2016. wind resources, New England has its area, too, a substantial proposal is under- assessments (EIAs) and low-impact con-

A strong pipeline of technologies is own state-level carbon reduction policies way. The Asian Renewable Energy Hub struction techniques – such as soft start driving this growth. As the technologies that date back over a decade. The Cross encompasses 7,000 square kilometres of procedures and noise reducing technolo- improve, this pushes down costs, mak- Sound Cable can transmit 330 MW of land in the East Pilbara region of West- gies – can be employed. ing wind energy more viable. For ex- hydrologic and wind power originating ern Australia, and is set to house both The TenneT projects in Germany are ample, enhanced technology allows for in New England to Long Island, which solar and wind power generation facili- a case in point. As well as enhancing bigger wind turbines and foundations, equates to substantial carbon savings on ties for the purpose of transmitting the the usability of sustainable energy, Ten- which increases manufacturing and pro- par with about 600MW of wind capacity. energy produced to South East Asia. neT aims to minimize the physical im- duction ef? ciency. Taking advantage of Ultimately, this not only provides Long The Asian Renewable Energy Hub pact of its North Sea-based operations. these ef? ciency gains, undersea cables Island with enhanced grid stability but it entails the construction of 1,200 300m- On top of using EIAs and low-impact are thereby addressing the challenges of also provides a use for New England’s high onshore wind turbines, with a fur- technologies, all contractor ships install- inconsistent supply and demand; they excess wind energy. ther 2400MW from solar panels – all of ing the TenneT undersea transmission enable power generated offshore – or in which will be exported via high voltage cable must attain certi? cation to prove

Transmission Overseas remote geographical locations – to be undersea transmission cables to Jakarta that they do not discharge ef? uent into transmitted to the urban areas that need In Europe, comparable projects are un- and Singapore. The project will generate the sea. Ultimately, undersea cables are it most. derway. For example, the Western Link power for 7 million homes in Indonesia, enabling the distribution of renewable initiative – a £1 billion project located in and will offset almost 1 billion tonnes of energy to areas that can bene? t. These

Geography of Renewables the U.K. – will transmit electricity gen- carbon emissions over its lifetime. projects could help to drive a global shift

Take the state of New York, for ex- erated by Scotland’s abundant onshore in the power grid, which may see an in- ample, which has four densely populated and offshore wind resources to England creasing number of homes and business-Careful Construction counties, two that are part of New York and Wales using undersea and under- However, due to the speed of tech- es make fuller use of renewable energy

City, located on Long Island. The island ground cables. nological development, there is ever- sources – thereby reducing their carbon faces signi? cant challenges meeting its Similar to Cross Sound Cable, the changing technology risk to consider – footprints.

24 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • APRIL 2018

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