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“Offshore” is a word of English origin, meaning “far from the shore” or “open sea”. However, it can have different meanings depending on the area of use:

  1. Geographical Meaning: It refers to places located in regions far from the shores of a country or in the open seas.

For example: “Offshoredrilling” is drilling activities carried out in the seas to extract oil and natural gas.

  1. Economic and Financial Meaning: It refers to financial activities carried out outside of a country’s tax regulations, usually in regions with lower tax rates.

For example: “Offshore banking” is opening a bank account in regions that offer tax advantages outside a person’s own country.

For this reason, the term “offshore” is used in meanings such as overseas or foreign activities. This week, I would like to touch upon the current studies in Turkey and the UK on “offshore”, in other words “sea wind energy”, which has attracted considerable attention in the renewable energy sector recently and will be talked about a lot in the future.

Considering that Turkey is in a very strong position in terms of renewable energy potential, it can be said that it is still in the development phase in terms of “offshore wind energy”. At this point, studies on offshore (sea surface) wind energy projects have been on the agenda in Turkey for a long time. Turkey has significant potential in this field thanks to its geographical location and the wind potential in the seas. In particular, the Aegean Sea, the Marmara Sea and, to some extent, the Black Sea stand out as suitable areas for “offshore wind energy”.

The seas that will be considered as potential areas for “Offshore Wind Energy” studies in Turkey;

  • Aegean Sea: It is at the forefront because it is a region that receives strong and constant winds.
  • Marmara Sea: It provides an advantage due to its proximity to cities such as Istanbul and Kocaeli, which are close to the coast and have high energy demand.
  • Black Sea: Although it is a less studied region, especially the Zonguldak and Sinop area has potential.

On the other hand, when we look at the current projects and plans for “offshore wind energy” in Turkey, it is seen that the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources is working on incentive mechanisms for offshore wind energy investments. Again, it is aimed to accelerate “offshore wind energy” investments within the scope of Renewable Energy Resource Areas (YEKA) projects. In addition, the Presidency Investment Office is actively working in this field. Although a large-scale “offshore wind farm” has not yet been established, project development processes are ongoing.

In line with the current goals and studies, it is expected to achieve positive results such as meeting Turkey’s increasing energy demand, providing diversity in energy supply by reducing fossil fuel dependency, and prioritizing more effective use of domestic and renewable energy resources.

Last November, the World Bank Group, in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Turkey, introduced a new roadmap that outlines the process that can be followed for the future to establish a successful offshore wind energy sector in Turkey.

Turkey has set a target of creating an installed capacity of 5 GW for offshore wind energy by 2035. The roadmap offers a comprehensive set of recommendations to help Turkey achieve its goal of building a new sector that will help meet future energy demands and sustainability goals.

Of course, each project has its own challenges at the beginning. Some topics such as “High start-up costs”, “Requirement for technological infrastructure and expertise” and “Possible impacts on the marine ecosystem and environmental permitting processes” will also bring difficulties.

Although Turkey’s offshore wind energy potential is quite high, both public and private sector investments are needed to take concrete steps in this area. These developments present a great opportunity in terms of energy security and renewable energy targets.

On the other hand, when we look at the studies on “offshore wind energy” in England, one of the renewable energy leaders in Europe, it can be said that it is a leading country worldwide.

As of 2024, England is one of the countries with the largest “offshore wind capacity” in the world. There are many giant offshore wind farms on the North Sea coast. The UK government’s target is to reach 50GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030. To that end, the UK government is introducing low-carbon energy support mechanisms, carbon markets and subsidies to encourage investment in renewable energy.

The government’s commitment to expand the UK’s offshore wind capacity has been welcomed by the renewable energy trade association Renewable UK, which argued that there were several challenges the government needed to address to meet its 2030 target. Renewable UK recommended that the government reform the planning system to enable faster development of new projects.

In addition, the “OffshoreWind Conference 2025” will be held in the UK as part of the awareness campaign for offshore wind energy, bringing together industry leaders, government and stakeholders for two days to address the key barriers to supply chain improvement and deployment of offshore wind development.

As a result, the following assessments can be made for the future of offshore wind energy in Turkey and the UK;

  • Turkey’s investments in offshore wind and solar energy are of strategic importance in terms of reducing energy imports, increasing energy security and reducing carbon emissions. If the projects in this area are implemented within a few years, Turkey could become a regional renewable energy hub.
  • If large-scale projects in offshore wind energy are implemented, especially with the support of strong financial resources such as Arab capital, Turkey’s energy sector could undergo a transformation.
  • However, technology transfer, domestic production and good management of environmental impacts are of critical importance in this process.
  • Although Turkey’s offshore wind energy projects are still in their early stages, investments in this area are expected to accelerate in the coming years. These projects are of great importance in terms of increasing renewable energy capacity and reducing energy imports.
  • From the UK’s perspective, it has not only overcome the challenges in offshore wind energy, but has also emerged as a pioneer in the last decade.
  • 2023 saw the momentum continue with significant capacity milestones reached, new projects progressing and the UK Government finalizing ambitious plans for long-term growth.
  • From the UK’s perspective, it is seen that it will continue to lead the way in the increasing international competition in offshore energy, looking ahead to 2024 and beyond.

Renewable Energy

UK

TURKEY

Offshore Wind Energy

Offshore Wind Energy UK 6.6 GW of new and existing capacity from 2023 to 2024. There is a well-developed infrastructure.

Although it does not have any installed capacity, it is in the development phase with existing projects.

Targets

Aimed to reach 50 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030.

Aimed to reach 5 GW of installed capacity for offshore wind energy by 2035.

Investments

Momentum is expected to continue in 2023 with significant capacity milestones being reached, new projects progressing and the UK Government finalising ambitious plans for long-term growth

With the support of the YEKA project and Arab Capital, large-scale projects in offshore wind energy are targeted to be implemented.

Sources

https://dunyaenerji.org.tr/enerjide-yeni-teknoloji-turkiyede-offshore-ruzgar/

https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/bilim-teknoloji/turkiyenin-ilk-deniz-ustu-ruzgar-santrali-icin-teknik-calismalar-2024te-baslayacak/3085523

https://www.worldbank.org/tr/news/press-release/2024/11/07/offshore-wind

https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/knowledge/publications/f8277325/uk-energy-act-2023-environmental-commitments-for-offshore-wind

https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/offshore-wind-energy

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/offshore-renewable-energy

OffshoreRenewableEnergyCatapult, “UK offshorewind 2023 round-upand 2024 outlook”, 21 December 2023.

https://www.scottishrenewables.com/events/242-offshore-wind-conference-2025

https://www.offshore-energy.biz/tickets-now-on-sale-for-offshore-energy-exhibition-conference-2024/

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