Copenhagen Offshore Landmark to Get a New Lease on Life

Denmark’s HOFOR has bought back a 50% stake in the 40MW Middelgrunden offshore wind farm from Ørsted.

The wind farm is located some 3.5 kilometres outside the Copenhagen Harbour and comprises twenty 2MW wind turbines.

Commissioned in 2001 and developed by Copenhagen Energy (now HOFOR) and Middelgrundens Vindmøllelaug (Middelgrunden Wind Turbine Cooperative), the wind farm saw an ownership change in 2003 after HOFOR sold its ten wind turbines to Energie E2, which later became part of Ørsted, in 2003.

Following the re-acquisition, HOFOR plans ”to renew the turbines and ensure future production of green power.” 

Middelgrunden is authorized to produce power until 2025. HOFOR plans to ensure green electricity production after this year, said Jan Kauffmann, HOFOR’s Director of Economics and Business.

“We want to renew the turbines so that green electricity production can be continued after 2025, where current wind turbines have to be taken down. The new mills will be about the same size, but more efficient. With the buyback, we hope to extend the green power generation of the mills for another 25 years,” Kauffmann said.