Dutch Seek Metocean Data for 4 GW Offshore Wind Zone

The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) has issued a contract notice for two metocean campaigns at the IJmuiden Ver Investigation Area in the Dutch North Sea.

Both locations will be further specified later on, RVO said.

The data obtained from these metocean campaigns will be published by RVO and is required for the preparation of bids for permit tenders for offshore wind farm zones.

The contract is divided into two lots, one lot for every metocean campaign. Companies can submit an offer for one lot or for both lots.

The starting date of the metocean field campaign for Lot 1 is scheduled for the first quarter of 2022. The starting date for Lot 2 is scheduled for the second quarter of 2022.

Each of the field campaigns will have a duration of 24 months. Each of the datasets is to be obtained by means of two individual floating LiDAR systems and one spare to measure wind, wave, and current properties.

Interested parties have until 15 November to respond to the contract notice.

Located some 62 kilometres off the Dutch coast, the 4 GW IJmuiden Ver is one of the three sites identified in the Dutch Offshore Wind Energy Roadmap 2030. The three zones have a combined capacity of 6.1 GW and will help the Netherlands reach the target of 11.5 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030.

Located some 62 kilometres off the west coast of the Netherlands, the 400 km2 IJmuiden Ver zone is divided into four sites – IJmuiden Ver I,II, III, and IV.

The Dutch government plans to issue two tenders for the permits to develop the sites, in 2023 for IJmuiden Ver I and II, and in 2025 for III and IV.