From water depth to turbine sizes, everything about European offshore-wind power is getting larger, except cost.
Maturing technology and increasing competition have helped to reduce costs, making offshore power increasingly competitive with onshore, according to some analysts. “The industry has become more masterful at driving down cost,” says Huub den Rooijen, head of offshore wind at Crown Estates, which grants 50-year leases for U.K. wind-farm sites—excluding Scotland, as of this month. “There have been improvements in every single aspect,” he adds.