Offshore Wind Farm APECEnergyWorking Group February2025 The Legislation Recommendationand Promotion of MultifunctionalOcean Space Usage:Combine Floating PV Installationsat Offshore Wind Farm APECEnergyWorking Group February2025 APEC Project:EWG 13 2021A AuthoredbyYiyuan William SuNate MaynardKeng-Tung Wu Produced byChung Hsing UniversityChinese Taipeiwukt@nchu.edu.tw ForAsia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Secretariat35 Heng Mui Keng TerraceSingapore 119616Tel: (65) 68919 600Fax: (65) 68919 690Email:info@apec.orgWebsite:www.apec.org ©2025APEC Secretariat APEC#225-RE-01.2 CONTENT CONTENT21Introduction42Defining the Potential ofHybridMarine Energy83The renewable energy policies amongAPEC member economics154Growth of marine renewable energyand combined marine renewableenergy (CMRE)415Offshore Wind and Marine SpatialPlanning as Driver of Hybrid Energy756Project Workshop807ConclusionsReferences137140 AppendixA:Workshop PhotosAppendixB: Guide Book147158 Chapter 1Introduction The adoption of renewable energy in place of fossil fuel combustion can reducecarbon dioxide (CO2) emissions into the atmosphere and lessen human impact onthe environment. Therefore, in recent decades, natural energy sources such as solar,wind,and hydropower have gradually replaced fossil fuels.Since theimplementation of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, renewable energies have becomean integral part of energy strategies and policies among the Contracting Parties. At present, the renewable energy deployment involves onshore installationsdistributed acrosseconomy’sterritories. However, smallereconomies, in particular,are projected to encounter escalating land-use constraints that could hinder thecontinued expansion of renewable energy usage. Consequently, it is imperative forgovernmental bodies to proactively identify and secure alternative locationssuitable for the establishment of future renewable energy infrastructure. Themaritime space area has the highest potential for providing an increased capacityfor electricity generation. A central focus of maritime spatial planning analysis is the establishment ofoffshore wind farms and the multifaceted utilization of marine environments. Thisincludes the exploration and potential integration of offshore solar photovoltaic(PV) systems.Given that renewable energy technologies derive electricity fromthe conversion of natural processes, it is essential foreconomy’s policies toprioritize and incentivize research and development within this domain. Climate change and the escalating global energy crisis have compelled Europeaneconomiesand the United States to explore unconventional energy sources. Theocean, which receives 70% of the sun's global primary energy resource, presents avast potential that has remained largely untapped due to technological limitations(Pedersen, 2015). However, recent advancements in offshore wind technology,including the growing viability of floating offshore wind installations, coupled withthe established fossil fuel-based offshore extraction industry, have promptedrenewable energy developers and governments to turn their attention to the oceanas a potential solution to energy challenges. Hybrid renewable energy projects and offshore hybrid energy storage systems,once deemed prohibitively expensive to construct and operate, have begun toemerge across the European Union (EU). Concurrently, supportive legislation fortheir development has been introduced in the United Kingdom (UK) and the UnitedStates (McTiernan & Sharman, 2020). By examining the policies of these fourdistinct yet similareconomies, valuable insights can be gleaned to inform theoptimal development of offshore hybrid energy throughout APECeconomies. Thisanalysis aims to identify common legislative areas that can serve as a foundationfor promoting and advancing offshore hybrid energy initiatives in the APEC region. Due to limited land availability, several APEC economies have deployed offshorewind turbines and floating photovoltaic (PV) panels to optimize space utilization.However, the areas between offshore wind turbines, as well as the vertical spacebelow the blades and above the ocean surface, are often underutilized and remainvacant. These spaces present opportunities for the installation of additionalrenewable energy facilities, such as mid-sized wind turbines or floating PV panelsinterspersed among the existing towers. For APEC economies lacking suitablenatural conditions for wind farms, offshore floating PV panels can serve as analternative means of generating renewable energy. This approach would enhance both the utilization of ocean space and the generation of green electricity. Thisproposal for "multi-functional usage of ocean space" advocates for sustainableenergy development by integrating offshore wind turbines with floating PV panelson the open territorial sea surface, thereby connecting to the grid system. Thishybrid approach to renewable energy sources can bolster domestic energy security