Page 63 - Danish Offshore Industry 2016

WIND BLOWING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION The competitive environment is favourable to the wind power. To one of the giants in offshore wind power 2016 looks What is the effect of the low prices of oil to wind power? most interesting. And the drop in oil prices makes it only “You may look at wind power as a technology which is more attractive to look into the direction of the wind. directly competing with oil and coal when it comes to the Michael Hannibal, CEO Siemens Wind Power is pleased costs of generating electricity. In such situations it is an to observe that a lot of things are blowing his way. advantage to the wind power industry if the competing For that reason he is giving high priority to innovation technologies are more expensive. and effciency in order to let Siemens Wind Power take But I should say the competitive environment is favour- advantage of the momentum at the moment enjoyed by able to the wind power – also in times seeing low prices wind power. of oil. Onshore wind power by now is competitive ▲ WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR 2016? “In fact we are engaged in projects like for instance Westermeerwind, GodeWind, Gemini and Sandbank, so it will be a year of quite some activity. We will go on ten- dering for relevant projects, and we hope to be awarded as many as possible. You may look at wind power Previously, we announced that we are re-structuring the use of our plants. As rule of thumb we shall be as a technology which is di- producing only one or maximum two types of turbines at each plant. We derive much more simplicity from rectly competing with oil concentrating production in that way, and it will be best for our continued industrialization. The plan will be fully and coal when it comes to implemented in 2018, but we want to get as far as pos- the costs of generating elec- sible this year. To our plant at Brande this means that we shall produce our D3 turbine here – that is the small type tricity. In such situations it of our gearless wind turbines. We shall also produce our G4 at Brande – the geared wind turbine operating at the is an advantage to the wind Anholt Windfarm, London Array and Greater Gabbard. power industry if the com- From 2018 our large D7 wind turbine shall be fabricated at our plant in Cuxhaven, Germany, just south of the peting technologies are more Danish border. The factory is situated close to the jetty making it easier to ship out the turbine to the offshore expensive. windfarms.” 61 / WIND BLOWING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION