Summary

The new insight offered by the study is a detailed assessment of the socioeconomic impacts of offshore wind farms measured across the five phases of development, production, installation, operations & maintenance and decommissioning. The study also assesses the likely location of these impacts given in terms of port communities versus other areas as well as the markets shares of Danish versus foreign offshore companies on offshore wind farms in Europe. The results can be used to assess the potential impacts of existing as well as future offshore wind farms.

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Client testimony

We have been extremely pleased working with QBIS on this particular project. From the initial meeting, through to the execution of the analysis – we have been met by constructive dialogue and a “go-do” attitude.  It has been a pleasure to work with QBIS on the socioeconomic impact of offshore wind – and although this was a fairly new area for the team, they adapted remarkably fast to the processes and structures of the industry. Their experience and expertise with regards to socio-economic impact assessments was vital, in the creation of this high-complexity study. We could not be more pleased with the final product – which is high on both quality and validity. No doubt that this study will prove to be the benchmark for offshore wind socio-economic studies for years to come. This is in no small part, down to the professionality and expertise of QBIS.

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Thomas Sylvest

Senior Advisor

Danish Shipping

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Project background

The objective of the offshore wind model is to provide new insight into the socioeconomic impacts of offshore wind. While the role of offshore wind in climate change mitigation and energy security is well understood, there has been less efforts to study the socio-economic impacts from the expansion of offshore wind in terms of economic value-added and jobs, particularly locally. As governments like the Danish are planning substantial expansions of offshore wind over the coming decade, they increasingly want to know what costs and benefits to expect from such investments. First, through establishment of a full-scale cradle-to-grave model of a modern offshore wind farm in Europe, the study provides a reference model for estimating the socio-economic impacts of 1 GW offshore wind farm. Using Denmark as the example, the study lays out the detailed investment costs and the likely distribution of economic value-added and jobs, both in Denmark and abroad. Secondly, by taking an ethnographic approach, the study explores how offshore wind investments resonate through local port communities and supply chains involved in the installation and O&M of an offshore wind. Here the study focuses on four Danish ports which have been - or will be - instrumental in installing and servicing Denmark’s largest offshore wind farms.

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