Shifting US policy creates an opening for Europe and APAC to collaborate on offshore wind build-out

Uncertainty in the US offshore wind market has opened up a unique opportunity for Europe and upcoming wind markets in APAC to accelerate offshore wind volume growth together, according to Ramboll, a global leader in full-service wind consulting. The company recently strengthened its presence in APAC through the acquisition of K2 Management (K2M), a leading renewable energy consultancy with extensive operations and offshore wind expertise in the region.

“Recent policy announcements from the new US Administration have dampened confidence in parts of the offshore wind industry. But this is not a time for despair. We need to recognise how shifting momentum can help us turn adversity into opportunity,” says Tim Fischer, Global Executive Director for Ramboll’s Wind Division.

He continues: “Developers, investors, and original equipment manufacturers are already turning their attention back to home markets, offering a chance for Europe and APAC to work together on accelerating offshore wind growth. Improved collaboration between the two regions is critical to driving the necessary increases in volume needed to make a success of global offshore wind.”

Four critical actions to accelerate EU-APAC offshore wind collaboration

Although Europe leads in many areas of offshore wind technology development, and upcoming wind markets in APAC are still in the early stages of development in many countries, collaboration is essential to increase the volume of projects in both markets and reach upcoming build-out targets.

“Neither region can do it alone,” Fischer points out. “To accelerate growth, Europe and APAC must draw on each other’s strengths – from manufacturing capacity to investing at large scale in new technologies.”

Specifically, four steps are needed:

1. Enhance supply chains and vessel fleets: Policy changes emerging from the new US Administration will cause a temporary slowdown in US offshore wind supply chain development, creating a much-needed opportunity for Europe and APAC to plug emerging gaps in regional supply chains and vessel fleets and to apply more focused investments. While maximising use of local supply chains for each local region, APAC can benefit from Europe’s world-leading position in wind turbine generator and monopile foundation supply. At the same time, Europe can tap into APAC’s high voltage equipment supply chain as well as massive production capacities for large-scale, complex steel structures such as jackets and substations.
2. Joint investments and market expansion: Investors and developers who might previously have backed and constructed US offshore wind projects may now seek joint ventures in high growth markets like Taiwan, South Korea, the UK, and Germany. European and APAC governments could facilitate the redeployment of capital and resources by providing funding and financial guarantees that help to de-risk offshore wind projects.
3. Knowledge and technology sharing: Europe, with its decades of offshore wind experience, can share industry best practices with upcoming wind markets in APAC in areas like project and turbine design, regulatory development, and grid integration. This is critical to ensuring APAC avoids the same pitfalls as Europe.
4. Accelerating floating wind: Floating wind is central to the next phase of offshore wind growth. However, the technology is currently still seen as high risk and complex. Knowledge sharing on floating wind designs between Europe and APAC will be critical to speeding up development and adoption.

“Ramboll is committed to helping wind developers and investors across the world accelerate their ambitions. By combining Ramboll and K2M’s extensive track records in wind energy, we will meet the evolving demands of our global clients and support all aspects of wind project development,” says Fischer. “With our global presence in nearly 30 countries, we see ourselves as independent bridge builders bringing the global offshore wind business together and helping accelerate its growth.”

Full service wind offering to global client base

In the past three years, Ramboll has successfully scaled its wind business from a primary foundation designer to a full-service wind consultancy combining advisory and engineering services. To further enhance its wind business and provide a truly integrated and global full-service offering to clients, Ramboll acquired K2 Management in August 2024.

Ramboll's Global Wind Division now encompasses close to 1,000 experts across nearly 30 countries, with new local presence in Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, and Portugal. With the new setup, Ramboll has expanded its support both in Europe and APAC, facilitating further global knowledge-sharing and faster global adoption of offshore wind.