ONSHORE WIND
Helping our clients to lead the way in onshore wind
The onshore wind markets in many geographies are mature and capacity is higher than it ever has been across the globe. But this market maturity and cost competitive landscape means that owners need to dig deeper to uncover more and better ROI opportunities. Details are important and K2 Management prides itself on seeing what others overlook – whether that is risks, technical challenges or even opportunities. From pre-construction business case calculations through construction and operation, our specialists will help you to deliver better energy projects onshore. See how we helped our client deliver the Dam Nai project in Vietnam… |
Guiding Dam Nai from development to operations
Any onshore project is only as strong as the foundation that it is built on – and that starts with strong development and planning. Putting in the hard work on the business case, contracting strategy and risk management at an early stage will pay off further down the line. The earlier you unearth potential issues and mitigate them, the smoother the process as you head into pre-construction. |
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Guiding Dam Nai from development to operations
Having your project in the right hands during construction is critical to having it completed on-time, on-spec and on-budget. Projects are getting bigger, more complex and margins are being squeezed tighter and tighter, so specialist management and hands-on experience make all the difference. From managing your project from beginning to end, or simply contributing experts into your implementation team, we ensure that lessons learnt from thousands of previous projects are applied for best possible result
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Guiding Dam Nai from development to operations
The project is commissioned; the assets are generating power - now what? But in reality, this is the time that owners should be looking at ways to squeeze more value from their investment. Owners should be asking:
From operational analysis to asset management, these questions can be answered, and project performance optimized through our independent advice |
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Asset management for energy projects
Getting the technicalities right can be the difference between an average and well-performing project. Renewable energy might be advanced in many markets but project risks still require careful evaluation to deliver the best possible performance - both technically and financially. Our advisory expertise spans analysis, risk management, due diligence, technical advisory and financial services - all of which come together to deliver better energy projects. |
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Find out what our clients think makes a good technical advisor
News, views and insights
The announcement of the package outlined six main pillars of action: faster permitting and deployment; improved auction design; improved access to finance; monitoring unfair trade practices; large-scale development of skills; and commitments from member states for a collective EU wind charter.
State implementation key
These efforts are commendable. In fact, they’re crucial. But challenges lie ahead, particularly in their implementation across a diverse landscape of member states, each with their own geographies, economies, grid infrastructure, and legislation. To safeguard Europe’s competitiveness, the success of the package will hinge on the seamless execution of clear, precise measures at the state level.
To begin with, the measures have varied levels of definition. Some present specific, tangible actions: the Accele-RES initiative to digitalise permitting processes, and the liquidity provided by the proposed innovation fund, for example, show clear pipelines from concept to benefit.
Clarity needed
Others remain open to interpretation. Auction design will be improved with “well-designed and objective criteria”; the European Commission will “engage with investors to identify and address obstacles to investment”.
The EU Wind Charter will be formed following “industry engagement and member states’ commitments.”
While promising, obtaining clarity in these directives will be necessary for effective industry-wide alignment, which is unlikely to occur against a backdrop of persistent uncertainties around supply chain and auction complexities.
Inflation factors
On the supply chain side, inflation is a critical component of the equation. Rising material and labour costs have caused hesitancy from developers and investors in the procurement of wind projects. While the demand for energy itself remains inelastic, these tighter margins are compounding with competitive pressure from abroad — countries with cheaper labour, and more access to raw materials, continue to be attractive options.
Regional variations among EU members
In today’s market, an equitable implementation of the package’s aims cannot be achieved by simply ranking member states by their level of market maturity and accounting for numerical differences. Regions such as the Nordics, which are further along, relatively speaking, in their wind energy journeys, struggle less with finance but are facing higher-level hindrances due to a lack of government clarity on paths forward, with construction delayed on various pending projects.
Meanwhile, others such as Lithuania and Estonia, which are typically perceived as less mature, have recently seen success. Despite having less capital to work with, open communication between stakeholders and government and clear regulatory frameworks have enabled smooth progress. This shows that issues must be tackled on a case-by-case basis, with support focused in the right areas.
Investor caution
Investors, facing higher up-front costs and ambitious capacity targets, approach project opportunities with growing caution of a new risk: mishandled regulation. Notable setbacks in markets outside of the EU, such as the initial failure of the UK's Round 5 CfD auctions and Ørsted's cancellation of its US projects, have prompted questions about the potential threat of derailment due to policymaking missteps.
Turbine arms race
The combined effect of this anxiety about long-term commitments, and the resulting rush for profits in the short term, is a negative impact on turbine longevity.
OEMs face pressure to develop larger and larger platforms, despite the importance of optimising existing ones. The rapid rate of this innovation and scale can often outpace concerns about the reliability of the technology used.
Standardised turbines allow for more effective O&M strategies and act as a safeguard against the widespread adoption of immature technologies.
EU efforts to coordinate this standardisation will ensure more reliable turbines, steady the pace development, lower supply chain costs, and bolster confidence in the industry’s ability to scale up in a sustainable way.
Targets
Europe aims to domestically manufacture at least 40% of its clean technology by 2030. Achieving that goal will require not only the careful consideration of all relevant factors, region by region, but active cooperation from all industry stakeholders.
Amid doubts about the bloc's recent competitiveness, achieving a scale-up in clean energy production demands a pact between all industry players, which we could see come to life in the EU wind charter.
A healthy alignment of interests is one which remains conscious of the differences between member states, and ultimately ensures the success of the Package across the many diverse markets of the continent.
Comments by Cristina Fernández, Sales Director, Continental Europe, published in Windpower Monthly.
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With SE Asia looking to boost its renewable energy in 2024, attention will need to turn to the potential of hybrid projects in maximising production.
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