Siemens is confident that they will reach their current goal of generating offshore wind power below ten euro cents per kWh by 2020. Today, 72% of this targeted cost reduction has already been reached. Siemens’ offshore wind projects from 2025 onward will be capable of generating electricity at an LCoE level below eight euro cents per kWh.
This price will also include the costs for grid access to shore. The reduction of costs by two euro cents over the following five years will be mainly based on the next generation of offshore wind turbines and mass-produced offshore foundations. The annual energy output can grow by 10% under average offshore wind conditions if rotor diameters and generator output also increase by 10%. Within foundations, Siemens is currently developing a new solution to be tested at a Danish offshore project in 2017. It will use gravity jacket foundations including a new transition piece made out of concrete. The grid structure will be assembled using prefabricated nodes and standard steel pipes. Siemens is currently testing the static strength and corrosion resistance of the nodes, produced in bulk by welding robots. Further leverage of cost reductions arise from improvements in offshore service concepts and progress in grid access technologies. The 588MW Beatrice project in Scottish waters will utilise compact Siemens Offshore Transformer Modules (OTM), cutting costs of AC-grid connections by approximately 40%.
