Netherlands to Miss 2031 Offshore Wind Target

April 29, 2024, by Adnan Memija

The Netherlands’ previous goal to achieve 21 GW of offshore wind capacity by the end of 2031 has been postponed by one year, now targeting achievement by 2032.

On 25 April, the office of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate sent a letter to the parliament on the progress of the 2030 Offshore Wind Roadmap, stating that 21 GW of wind capacity will be reached by the end of 2032. The planning of the roadmap was adjusted for several reasons: the permissibility and lead times of grid connections; the business in the supply chain for grid connections; and the required time for connecting 2 GW of wind farms to the offshore grid.

Commissioning Dates for Multiple Offshore Wind Projects Rescheduled

In 2022, the Dutch government designated three new areas (Nederwiek, Lagelander, Doordewind) and confirmed two previously designated areas (the northern part of IJmuiden Ver and the southern part of Hollandse Kust West) in the North Sea for the development of offshore wind farms with a combined capacity of 10.7 GW.

With the new areas, the Netherlands doubled the total planned capacity for offshore wind energy to around 21 GW by 2030.

Now in the letter, the expected commissioning date of the 2 GW wind farm built at the Doordewind I site was changed from 2031 to the fourth quarter of 2032. The correction of the date was made as a result of the large-size spatial challenges in the grid connection routes to be investigated due to the crossing in the Wadden Sea and challenges with the latter part of the route to Eemshaven.

In addition, the tender for the 700 MW Hollandse Kust (west) VIII site is yet to be announced as well as the commissioning of the wind farm which will be installed there.

In the letter, the ministry also changed the expected commissioning date of the Nederwiek Noord II wind farm.

The Nederwiek zone, located 90 kilometres off the west coast of the Netherlands, is divided into two areas, Nederwiek Zuid & Noord (North and South), and three project sites: the 2 GW Nederwiek Zuid I, the 2 GW Nederwiek Noord II, and the 2 GW Nederwiek Noord III.

Nederwiek Noord II was planned for commissioning in 2030, according to our previous news, but the date has now been moved to the second quarter of 2032.

The ministry’s letter to the parliament also outlined that there will be some delay in grid connections for the IJmuiden Ver Beta, IJmuiden Ver Gamma, and Nederwiek II due to the pressure in the supply chain.

The Netherlands launched a tender for the IJmuiden Ver Alpha and Beta offshore wind sites in February 2024.

Last month, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) revealed that it received several applications in the 4 GW wind tender. The offshore wind farm at the IJmuiden Ver Beta is expected to be put into operation at the end of 2029 while the wind farm at the IJmuiden Ver Gamma is planned to be commissioned in the second quarter of 2031.

In addition, the ministry also unveiled in the letter that the commissioning date of the Ten noorden van de Waddeneilanden offshore wind-to-hydrogen project is moved from 2031 to 2033.

*Source: The Netherlands’ Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate*

More Time Needed to Connect Wind Farms to Grid

The ministry also pointed out in the letter that more time is needed to connect offshore wind farms with a size of 2 GW to the grid. Therefore, the officials re-examined the feasibility of the delivery schedule, intending to increase the likelihood of timely realization.

This decision was made after consulting with the Dutch transmission system operator TenneT, the wind energy sector, and relevant government bodies.

The consortium which manages to accelerate the manufacturing of grid connections for TenneT will enable the wind farm permit holder to pull the cables of the project on the TenneT platform, according to the letter.

TenneT’s next-generation, 2 GW grid connections in the Netherlands are scheduled to be completed between 2028 and 2030.