EU-South Baltic OFF.E.R: South Baltic Offshore Energy Regions

Offshore wind energy has enourmous potential, and its production is highly cost efficient compared to other renewable energy sources. The European Commission has therefore identified offshore wind energy to be of strategic importance with regard to the EU energy targets and reducing dependence on energy imports.
The project is part-financed by the EU European Regional Development Fund and the South Baltic Programme.
With the worldwide energy and climate challenge becoming more acute than ever, the importance of renewable energy resources has risen to a new level. In recent years offshore wind energy (OWE) has become a competitive alternative to fossil fuel, and the European Commission has consequently identified OWE to be of strategic importance for meeting the demands of the Kyoto protocol while reducing dependence on energy imports and ensuring long-term energy security. The South Baltic Region with its favourable natural and geographical setting, economic preconditions and workforce potential has the unique chance to position itself as one of the EU's premier OWE regions. However, if the South Baltic Region wants to become a major player in OWE, it is crucial to overcome existing bottlenecks in the supply chain as well as legislative and societal barriers. Public awareness and acceptance of OWE must be raised, and skills development in the sector needs improvement.
Ten partners from Denmark, Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Sweden will tackle these challenges within the “South Baltic OFF.E.R” project by building up a vital network to promote coherence of policies. Moreover, the project will develop standard-setting approaches in order to increase efficiency and to speed up the development of a highly competitive offshore wind industry in the South Baltic Region. The Rostock Business and Technology Development mbH (Germany) as “Lead Beneficiary” is the responsible partner for the overall project management and public relations.
There will be a close cooperation with the “sister projects” POWER cluster (direct successor of POWER project) dealing with offshore wind energy in the North Sea Region and WEBSR 2 dealing with wind energy in the Baltic Sea Region.
The project runs between 1st March 2010 and 28th February 2013 within the framework of the South Baltic Cross-border Cooperation Programme 2007-2013 and is part-financed by the European Union (European Regional Development Fund).
Niels-Erik Clausen is coordinating the contribution from DTU Wind Energy that includes a wind atlas for South Baltic and promotional and educational activities including a summer school in 2011.
Charlotte Bay Hasager is project participant and has coordinated the wind atlas task.
Promotional activity: Fascination Offshore the ship Greundiek was in Nykøbing F 27th July to 1st August 2011 in Guldborgsund Kommune http://www.guldborgsund.dk/da/Nyt/2011/jul/Greundiek_udstillingsskib.aspx
Press release in Danish http://www.southbaltic-offshore.eu/news/imgs-media/PM_Nykoping.pdf