Hogan Lovells Publications | April 2022

Offshore Wind Worldwide - Regulatory framework in selected countries

Despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the global offshore wind industry has had a remarkable year. In 2021, global offshore wind capacity grew by almost 50% compared to 2020. 

Especially China accelerated the expansion and contributed significantly to the increase with newly installed capacity of 12.7 GW in 2021. But also other countries are showing their will to push ahead with expansion. In Europe, especially the UK, the Netherlands and Denmark have significantly expanded their offshore wind capacities in 2021. 

"On the one hand, many countries see the economic potential and want to participate in the economic upswing. At the same time they recognize that offshore wind plays a crucial role in the fight against the climate crisis. Thus, on a political level, it can be seen that many countries are striving to create legal frameworks or amend their existing regulations to facilitate expansion.", Dr Christian Knütel, Partner at Hogan Lovells in Hamburg, comments on the increasing importance of offshore wind. 

Together with Prof. Dr. Martin Skiba and Gunnar Herzig from the World Forum Offshore Wind (WFO), Dr. Christian Knütel, also WFO's general counsel, presents the 2022 edition of the handbook "Offshore Wind Worldwide – Regulatory Framework in Selected Countries", a comprehensive review of the public and regulatory framework conditions of leading worldwide offshore wind power markets. The 2022 edition features a foreword by Bruno G. Geschier, Chairman of inter alia WFO’s Floating Offshore Wind Committee and Chief Sales & Marketing Officer of BW Ideol.

Continuing the trail set by the previous edition, this updated handbook presents new key laws and relevant legislative amendments in countries such as Vietnam, Germany, Poland, Denmark and the Republic of Korea and provides a valuable glimpse into the changes of China’s regulatory framework for offshore wind. This handbook edition likewise presents notable regulatory developments in and the competitiveness of the offshore wind industry in India, Taiwan, Japan, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom, and describes the current regulatory situation in Belgium and in the Netherlands. 

Gunnar Herzig, Managing Director of the WFO, remarks that, "More and more countries around the world have furthermore implemented their first basic regulatory frameworks for offshore wind."

This observation is echoed by Bruno G. Geschier, who adds that, "[...] from maturing markets expecting ever more offshore wind to emerging markets wanting new offshore wind, everyone everywhere flocks offshore, bringing tremendous value creation opportunities across the supply chain in tow."

As the existing offshore wind energy markets further strengthen their positions in the industry and the global demands for CO2-friendly energy alternatives increase, the handbook presented here provides an informative reference of the continuously developing legal framework conditions in the international offshore wind market.

The handbook is the result of an international collaboration between lawyers from Hogan Lovells and lawyers from "best friend" law firms on three continents. Equipped with excellent industry knowledge, this handbook provides first-hand insights into national legal systems. It is updated annually, making it a companion for years to come and a first-class reference for a global overview of the legal conditions of the offshore industry.

A free copy of the handbook is available here:

>>>> Offshore Wind Worldwide — Regulatory Framework in Selected Countries