Alternative Energy

Due to good climate situation in many regions of the world, windpower - on- and offshore - has the chance to become one of the major alternative energy sources for this countries in combination with good conditions for local production of many parts of this wind farms. The same for bioenergy. Examples, in which GWZ has deep experience in development of such new energy sources, in the implementation of local content to increase the value chain and to screen the best German partners for this business.

 

Offshore Wind

Windpower will become a sustainable value business for many countries in the world. Especially in countries with an existing on- and offshore oil industry, the wind power business should be easy to adapt. Many high-qualified jobs in the alternative energy wind power sector could be created, e.g. in the local production of masts, rotor blades, steel and concrete jackets, cables, installation and support vessels, harbour infrastructure, seismic research work and related sectors. Offshore wind business is a growth market, for which reason GWZ is involved in this business since several years and has direct access to all major industry players in the offshore wind business.

 

Opportunities for local enterprises - some examples:

Foundation technology is 20% of the business - a good chance for steel companies. According to 2012 EWEA report, 75% of substructures are monopiles, 21% gravity based, 2% jackeets and 2% tripods. Monopiles are by far the most common substructure used in offshore wind farms.

 

The most common is the monopile - a steel pole embedded into the seabed. Monopiles are nearly always used for water depths of 20-25 metres or under. The monopile is simple to make, not too expensive, and easy to install in shallower waters. Jacket's, which have been used for years by the offshore oil and gas industry, are more complex structures, costing more to produce, but result in a lower mass for the same level of stiffness as the other space frame foundations. The heavy and more expensive tripods and tripiles are more usable in water depths above 30 metres.

 

Bioenergy

Many countries in the world have huge sources of biomass and an enormous potential for producing biogas and biofuels. At present, biogas technology has not been significantly developed, but shows good potential. McKinsey says: "Renewable energy policy in Europe will generate an increase in biomass demand of 44% by 2020, therefore other countries like Africa, CIS or Central Asia could become Europe's major biofuel suppliers, leading biofuels to become a US-$ 23 billion market by 2030".

 

The German biogas industry has taken a pioneering role in the field of gasification based on organic waste and renewable sources. German companies in the biogas industry cover the entire value chain of biogas technology - from planning and financing to the operation and maintenance of biogas plants. GWZ works together with many of the leading producers of biogas plants of all sizes.