OMNI Features｜South Korea Unveils "Offshore Wind Competitive Bidding Roadmap" and Plans to Initiate 8 GW Offshore Wind Projects Within 2 Years．RWE Renewables Launches Electrolyzer Pilot Plant in Germany to Expand Green Hydrogen Production．One of Australia's Oldest Wind Farms can Nearly Double its Capacity Through the "Repowering" Process by Utilizing Larger Wind Turbine

｜South Korea Unveils "Offshore Wind Competitive Bidding Roadmap" and Plans to Initiate 8 GW Offshore Wind Projects Within 2 Years
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy recently announced the "Offshore Wind Competitive Bidding Roadmap." According to the roadmap, the Ministry will conduct competitive bidding for up to 8 GW of offshore wind projects over the next 2 years, from the second half of this year to the first half of 2026. This capacity is fifty times larger than the current installed capacity of 158.5 MW, and including last year's 1.5 GW tender, approximately 10 GW of offshore wind projects are expected to be under construction.

The Ministry has significantly revised the competitive bidding system, with a foundation of 1 GW fixed-bottom offshore wind projects, requiring an investment of about 5 trillion KRW. Furthermore, the bidding, originally scheduled for the 4th quarter of each year, has been advanced to the 2nd quarter. Through these government measures, the investment conditions for many projects will be greatly improved, and a total investment of 50 trillion KRW is set to invigorate the domestic wind power industry ecosystem.

Additionally, South Korea will establish a separate floating wind power tender market to strengthen the domestic companies' capacity in this sector. Although floating wind power involves higher construction costs, it offers the advantage of not being constrained by geographical conditions. In alignment with the reform of Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), the government plans to establish a public-led tender market by the first half of next year. Industry insiders believe this unprecedented scale will attract many competitive companies to the market.

｜RWE Renewables Launches Electrolyzer Pilot Plant in Germany to Expand Green Hydrogen Production
RWE Renewables (RWE) has inaugurated a 14 MW electrolyzer pilot plant in Lingen, Germany, capable of producing up to 270 kilograms of green hydrogen per hour using renewable energy. This facility is part of the RWE Emsland gas-fired power plant and utilizes two different electrolysis technologies, providing valuable experience for future commercial-scale hydrogen projects.

Additionally, RWE plans to deploy a 100 MW electrolyzer under the GET H2 Nukleus project by 2025, with a further expansion to 300 MW by 2027. The Lower Saxony Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Climate Protection has invested 8 million euros in the Lingen pilot plant. Moreover, RWE has secured over 490 million euros in funding from the federal government and Lower Saxony for the construction of the 300 MW electrolyzer under the GET H2 Nukleus project.

｜One of Australia's Oldest Woolnorth Wind Farms can Double its Capacity Through the "Repowering" Process by Utilizing Larger Wind Turbine
nearly double its generating capacity and has submitted a request for approval to the federal Minister for the Environment. This project will replace the existing 62 old turbines with 48 new turbines, increasing the total capacity to 240 MW. The new turbines will feature tower heights of approximately 120 meters and blade lengths of 90 meters, with a maximum tip height reaching 210 meters.

This initiative is expected to enhance the electricity grid and increase renewable energy output, assisting the Tasmanian government in achieving its goal of 200% renewable energy by 2040. Despite facing challenges related to costs and community support, Woolnorth Renewables believes that this project represents an ideal opportunity to advance the development of wind energy in Australia.

Reference: reNews｜S&P Global