The Danish Energy Agency has launched a tender for 6 GW of offshore wind capacity that could result in much more capacity being awarded
The tender is the largest offshore wind tender in Danish history and follows a political agreement reached in early 2023. The wind energy capacity awarded contracts following the tender will be built in the North Sea, Kattegat, Kriegers Flak II and Hesselø areas.
Once in operation, the windfarms will produce enough energy to meet all of the Denmark’s needs for electricity.
The tender also allows for ‘overplanting’ that could see up to 10 GW of offshore wind capacity built by the winning developers. If this much capacity is awarded, it will enable the production of green hydrogen and ‘e-fuels’ and some of the energy produced could be exported. Denmark currently has 2.7 GW of operational offshore wind capacity.
Danish Minister for Climate, Energy, and Utilities Lars Aagaard said, “When the wind turbines are operating, we can cover all of Denmark’s power consumption with green electricity – and we can produce hydrogen and green fuels for ships and planes. It is projects of this scale that can make a big, green difference for the climate and our security.” The Danish state will be co-owners of 20% of the windfarms.
The 6 GW of capacity is being tendered without state subsidies and with a yearly concession payment from the winning developers to the state for the right to use the seabed.
The 2023 agreement also enshrined new standards for sustainability in the tender. These include the use of recyclable wind turbine blades; implementation of a regime to monitor the windfarm’s effects on nature and the environment; a requirement for a ‘positive impact’ on the marine environment; and biodiversity in two of the windfarms, one in the North Sea and one in Kattegat.
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