The Offshore Wind Act aims to expand the use of offshore wind energy, particularly in the interest of protecting the climate and the environment. The Act plans to increase the installed capacity of offshore wind power to at least 30 gigawatts and to at least 70 gigawatts by 2045. This increase is to take place steadily, cost-efficiently and taking account of the grid capacities needed for the purchase, transmission and distribution of the electricity. The expansion of offshore wind energy installations and the expansion of the offshore connections needed to transmit the electricity generated in them are therefore to be coordinated, also taking into consideration the onshore grid connection points, and an alignment of the respective planning, approvals, construction and commissioning is to be achieved.
The Act was last amended in March 2023, amongst a raft of other reforms.

Offshore Wind Energy Act (WindSeeG)

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Offshore Wind Energy Act (WindSeeG; consolidated version)

Amended/Updated

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An aim to achieve a quantifiable outcome within a given time-frame, set by an institution such as a national government.

Policy instruments are techniques or tools used by governing authorities to promote certain policies in order to achieve predetermined goals. Put simply, instruments are how a government tries to achieve its goals, with this taxonomy being focused on national policy instruments.

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Renewable energy means all forms of energy produced from renewable sources in a sustainable manner.

Fossil fuel is a generic term for non-renewable energy sources such as coal, fossil gas, and oil (including crude oil, and petroleum products), that can be used for electricity and heat generation. Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons formed from pressurised and heated organic material buried over millions of years.

Molecules in the atmosphere that play a key role in the greenhouse effect by trapping heat radiating from Earth’s surface.

Area of the economy in which actors engage in identical or related activities.

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Electrical energy generated from mechanical devices driven by flowing fresh water.

Kinetic energy of airflow transformed into useful energy, mostly electrical energy.

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Any compulsory, unrequited payment to the government levied on corporations or individuals. This can be for environmental reasons, such as introducing a Carbon tax to set a price that emitters must pay for the greenhouse gases they emit.

Activities of industries that extract natural resources, such as mining, oil, and gas, for commercial use.

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Activities that involve the cultivation of crops and raising of livestock for food, fibre, and other products essential for human life and industry.

Activities involving the catching, processing, and selling of fish for food, recreation, and industry.

the fair distribution of risks and opportunities of climate change and the transition to a regenerative economy, cognisant in particular of disproportionate impacts on vulnerable communities and the working class

Procedural justice means ensuring that decision making is safe, transparent and inclusive, emphasizing the agency and influence of vulnerable groups and those most impacted.

Offshore Wind Energy Act (WindSeeG; consolidated 2023 version)

The Offshore Wind Act aims to expand the use of offshore wind energy, particularly in the interest of protecting the climate and the environment. The Act plans to increase the installed capacity of offshore wind power to at least 30 gigawatts and to at least 70 gigawatts by 2045. This increase is to take place steadily, cost-efficiently and taking account of the grid capacities needed for the purchase, transmission and distribution of the electricity. The expansion of offshore wind energy installations and the expansion of the offshore connections needed to transmit the electricity generated in them are therefore to be coordinated, also taking into consideration the onshore grid connection points, and an alignment of the respective planning, approvals, construction and commissioning is to be achieved. The Act was last amended in March 2023, amongst a raft of other reforms.

Offshore Wind Energy Act (WindSeeG; consolidated version)

Target

Policy instrument

Just transition

Climate justice

Renewable energy

Fossil fuel

Greenhouse gas

Economic sector

Finance