Denmark Opens New Offshore Wind Area for Feasibility Studies

March 15, 2023, by Adnan Durakovic

The Danish Energy Agency has granted Energinet permission to carry out feasibility studies for offshore wind farms in the North Sea I area.

Energinet will begin the feasibility studies in the second quarter of 2023. The studies will include geophysical and geotechnical studies of the area designated for offshore wind farms and possible cable disembarkation corridors.

In addition, marine biological studies will be carried out in a larger area around the possible offshore wind farms.

With the permit for feasibility studies, Energinet can collect relevant data and information about the designated marine areas.

The results from the feasibility studies are expected to ensure that the offshore wind farms can be established with the least possible risk for a future developer.

In addition, the developer will be able to use the environmental studies for the later environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the specific project. The permit does not in itself give the right to build offshore wind farms, the agency said.

Historically, feasibility studies are initiated following a political decision on the specific location of a new offshore wind farm. However, the feasibility studies in the North Sea I area will be initiated prior to a final political decision on the location of offshore wind farms in the area.

This is based on the Climate Agreement on Green Power and Heat 2022, where it was decided to initiate feasibility studies for all known attractive offshore wind locations from the 2022 screening. The decision will enable political aspirations for additional offshore wind by the end of 2030, the Danish Energy Agency said.

With the Finance Act for 2022, it was decided to tender 2 GW of offshore wind capacity in addition to the ambitions set out in Denmark’s Energy Agreement of 29 June 2018. In 2022, the Danish Energy Agency commissioned fine-screening of a number of marine areas with a view to future tenders for offshore wind farms.

With the Climate Agreement on Green Power and Heat 2022, it was decided that areas that can accommodate an additional minimum of 4 GW of offshore wind will be offered for construction by the end of 2030. It was also decided to initiate feasibility studies of areas identified in the fine screening, including North Sea I.