3E, a Belgium-based technology and SaaS company for the wind, solar and energy storage industries, has been awarded a contract for a strike price study for the offshore wind tender(s) in the Princess Elisabeth zone.
Under the contract signed on 20 October, 3E will analyse both the maximum strike price and the strike price range for the upcoming call for tenders.
The Princess Elisabeth Zone , whose main development is the Princess Elisabeth Island, the world’s first artificial energy island, will see up to 3.5 GW of new offshore wind farms connecting to the island’s infrastructure.
The construction of the island, which will be built by the Belgian transmission system operator (TSO) Elia, will start in March next year and is expected to be completed in 2026.
According to Belgium’s Marine Spatial Plan 2020-2026, the Princess Elisabeth zone consists of three areas: Noordhinder North, Noordhinder South, and Fairybank.
The zone covers 281 square kilometres and is located at least 32 kilometres from the Belgian coast and ten kilometres further out to sea than the already developed offshore wind farms.
If developed to full capacity, the Princess Elisabeth zone will increase Belgium’s operating offshore wind capacity from the current 2.26 GW to 5.76 GW.
The publication of the tender for the first, 700 MW area is expected in 2024. The other two sites, each with a potential capacity of 1,225-1,400 MW, are expected to be auctioned off from 2026 to 2028.