New research network between Japanese, South Korean, and Danish offshore wind experts

The new International Network on Offshore Wind Energy Research (INOWER) connects South Korean, Japanese, and Danish R&D institutions with the vision of establishing international research collaborations in the field of offshore wind energy. Focussing on research and education, a team of leading researchers will be tied together through activities facilitated by the Innovation Centre Denmark in Seoul.

By Magnus Højberg Mernild | [email protected]

10 May 2022

International Network on Offshore Wind Energy Research (INOWER) gathers the world leading offshore wind energy research institute, DTU Wind Energy, together with Japan’s two leading R&D institutions. AIST and Ashikagaand, and South Korea two reserach institutions, SNU and KIER. Additionally, experts from the Danish, world leading offshore wind energy company Ørsted are involved to provide an industrial perspective.

Japan and South Korea both have set ambitious deployment targets for offshore wind energy over the next 10 years. The Japanese government expects to allocate 10 GW of offshore wind energy capacity through auctions towards 2030 and 30 – 45 GW by 2040. The South Korean Government’s ambition announced in June 2019 is that renewable green energy will constitute 20% of the energy production.

The INOWER network will add value by targeting research topics that are critical to the successful and efficient development of offshore wind in Japan and South Korea.

To achieve maximum technical, societal and economic benefits, a well-informed process based on high-level trustworthy R&D activities is required. Knowhow from mature offshore wind farms in Denmark and state of the art knowledge on technical, environmental, societal acceptance, policy and economic growth for offshore wind will be valuable at several levels not least academically in Japan and South Korea. In turn, this will support the opening of emerging markets for Danish R&D, knowledge, services and products enable the Danish Supply Chain to make investment decisions to enter the markets in the form and shape that fits them and the market.

Upcoming activities in the network include workshops regarding offshore wind resource assessment, offshore wind siting and turbulence, social sciences (energy and policy planning) and education at the master and PhD levels. Furthermore, the network will meet in Japan and South Korea.

The new network is funded by The Danish Ministry of higher Education and Science. By the end of the funded period, the consortium will have developed and documented a portfolio of plans for resulting R&D collaborations between the partners.