Offshore Wind Parks: A Glimpse Into Montenegro's Future

• Published date: 13 November 2023
• Subject Matter: Environment, Energy and Natural Resources, Energy Law, Climate Change, Water
• Law Firm: Schoenherr Attorneys at Law
• Author: Ms Ivana Panić and Luka Veljovi&#263

The world has seen a significant shift towards sustainable energy sources in recent years. One of the most promising and rapidly growing sectors in the renewable energy industry is offshore wind parks. These structures that use the power of wind over the open seas are quickly gaining popularity as part of the global effort to combat climate change. This article will explore the global trend of offshore wind parks and shed light on Montenegro's potential in this eco-friendly energy source with a special focus on fixed-bottom wind parks.

A fixed-bottom offshore wind park consists of wind turbines that are attached to the seabed using steel or concrete foundations. There are three types of fixed-bottom offshore wind parks. The first are monopile foundations, which are designed for shallow depths (0-30 meters) and involve driving a single pile into the seabed. They are cost-effective and widely used. The second are tripod fixed bottom foundations, which are suitable for transitional depths (20-80 meters). These structures feature three legs connected to a central shaft, providing stable support for the turbine base and allowing shallower seabed placement compared to monopiles. The third type are jacked foundations, also suitable for transitional depths. They consist of a framework with three to four fixing points driven into the seafloor.

These innovative structures represent a significant shift towards sustainable energy sources globally. Countries across Europe have enthusiastically embraced offshore wind power as part of their combat against climate change. Pioneers in this field, such as the UK, Germany and Denmark, have made substantial investments in offshore wind infrastructure, showing impressive numbers of offshore wind park projects. The UK has 224 offshore wind park projects, Germany has 190 and Denmark has 123. According to data collected by WindEurope, wind energy generation in Europe has shown steady growth, increasing from 370 TWh in 2018 to 489 TWh in 2022, while electricity demand has concurrently decreased from 2,960 TWh in 2018 to 2,830 TWh in 2022, a remarkable trend that highlights the increasing utilisation of offshore wind parks throughout Europe. Montenegro has positioned itself to align with this recently emerging trend.

Following the European trend, offshore wind parks must be located either in territorial waters (14 nautical miles) or in exclusive economic zones (200 nautical miles) of their host country. The Montenegrin Water Act...