Developers join forces to target Belgian offshore wind auctions
Developers join forces to target Belgian offshore wind auctions | Windpower Monthly
Dutch utility Eneco, EDPR-Engie joint venture Ocean Winds and Belgian offshore group Otary plan to bid for three projects in the Belgian North Sea in the country’s upcoming auction round.
The trio have agreed to form a strategic partnership – subject to regulatory and competition approvals – to jointly compete in the tender for the Princess Elisabeth offshore wind concessions in the Belgian North Sea.
Belgium is due to auction three wind farms in the zone, with capacities ranging from 700MW to 1.4GW. All three projects could use fixed-bottom foundations.
The first tender is set to take place in 2025. Each auction round will use a two-sided contract for difference auction mechanism.
The Belgian government is also overseeing site assessments for the construction of an island for the offshore grid connection for the wind farms.
Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: wind
Decades of government support for the development of wind energy has resulted in lower costs and a rapidly growing share of electricity generated by wind turbines. Wind in 2019 accounted for 7.3 percent of electrical generation, surpassing for the first time hydropower at 7.0 percent.