Siemens prepares to exploit Romania’s offshore wind energy

Projects to develop Romania’s untapped potential in offshore wind parks in the Black Sea are now moving up a gear, according to Petru Ruset, the manager of energy products solutions & services division at Siemens Romania

April 2010 - From the Print Edition

“We are involved in many projects that have high chances to succeed in Romania’s onshore and offshore wind energy sector,” said Ruset.
The available land for onshore wind parks in the wind-rich zone of southeast Romania’s Dobrogea region is almost saturated and Ruset argues it is “sensible” for potential developers to now focus on installing turbines in the Black Sea.
It takes between three and five years on average to develop an offshore wind project. On average a regular offshore wind turbine has an installed power capacity of about 3.6 MW while an onshore turbine has about 2.3 MW. The average depth for such a turbine to be installed is between 100 and 200 metres.
In the past, investors have shied away from offshore parks in Romania because of the high costs for developing such a project. In Romania the problem is also that the continental platform in the Black Sea has a narrow area.
There is also no legislation detailing exactly what the minimum distance from the shoreline is for the turbines to be installed. To clarify this information, the Government should pass a long-awaited regulations on renewable energy this summer.
Siemens - a market leader in building offshore wind turbines - is preparing to launch the world’s first large-scale floating wind turbine by the end of the year. Due to the country’s narrow continental platform, this technology could be suitable for Romania.