European market for corporate Power Purchase Agreements (cPPA) with offshore wind farms is experiencing substantial growth, with notable contracts being signed by large energy consumers in the years 2022 and 2023 like Google, Amazon, Mercedes Benz or Umicore. Recognizing this evolving market and the immense potential of cPPAs in the offshore wind sector, RE-Source Poland Hub, with support of BalticWind.EU, will host a thought-provoking debate during the PWEA annual conference in Serock, Poland on 22 June.
Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) enable businesses to directly purchase green electricity from renewable energy producers through long-term contracts. According to data from WindEurope.org, offshore wind PPAs have gained significant traction since 2018 and are becoming increasingly popular among energy-intensive industries.
The European PPA market, driven by anticipated growth from the EU electricity market design reform being developed by the European Commission, has seen heavy industries and the ICT sector signing the majority of offshore wind PPA contracts. This reform aims to encourage long-term contracts, particularly to stimulate the cPPA market.
Noteworthy cPPA examples from 2022 and 2023 include major players in various industries. Air Liquide, representing the heavy industry and chemicals sector, signed a 115 MW agreement with Vattenfall to secure a portion of the generation output from the Hollandse Kust Zuid (1500 MW) offshore wind farm. Google entered into a cPPA with ENGIE for 100 MW capacity from the Morray West (882 MW) offshore wind farm. Steel producer Salzgitter signed a contract with Iberdrola for 114 MW from the Baltic Eagle (476 MW) wind farm. Amazon secured 1.1 TWh per year from Baltic Eagle (476 MW) and Windanker (300 MW) through a contract with Iberdrola.
Mercedes Benz signed an agreement with Iberdrola for 140 MW from the Windanker (315 MW) offshore wind farm.
One of the main drivers for further growth of the cPPA market in the European Union will be the reform prepared by the European Commission. The EU electricity market reform, adopted by the EC in March 2023, has outlined several objectives to facilitate the growth of renewable energy and cPPAs including encouraging long-term contracts, with a specific focus on stimulating the cPPA market, as well as accelerating the installation of renewable energy sources (RES), including offshore wind, by expediting the implementation of multi-country small hydroelectric power (SHPP) projects and ensuring market access for offshore energy. Moreover promoting investment in RES by facilitating access to long-term contracts, such as cPPAs and Contracts for Difference (CfDs). This involves ensuring that financially sound companies facing barriers to entry into the PPA market have access to instruments that mitigate the financial risks associated with buyer default on long-term payment obligations under the PPA. These instruments could be in the form of market-based guarantee schemes or public support for cPPAs.
The upcoming debate at the PWEA annual conference in Serock will provide a platform for industry experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to discuss the future of cPPAs from offshore wind farms. It will explore the evolving market dynamics, the impact of EU reforms, and strategies to unlock the full potential of cPPAs in driving the transition towards a sustainable and renewable energy future.
As the market for cPPAs with offshore wind farms continues to expand, these agreements hold great promise for businesses seeking to reduce their carbon footprint, achieve renewable energy targets, and contribute to a cleaner and greener future.
BalticWind.EU Managing Director, Paweł Wróbel will take part in the debate. We invite you to follow the debate on June 22nd along at the conference.
