Offshore Wind in the European Union

As part of the climate and energy package adopted in 2009, the European Union has committed to a 20% share of renewable energy in EU舗s gross final consumption of energy by 2020, and it has become clear that offshore wind farms offer one of the most promising means of achieving this goal. Although the technology has been well developed and proven feasible, and offshore wind has already become a significant resource in several Member States, challenges to the development of an integrated EU legal framework for offshore wind and grid interconnections remain, among them the lack of coordinated offshore planning, differences in permitting and licensing procedures, and conflict in the use of sea space.