Friday, 12 November 2021
The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat) has issued the Additional Draft North Sea Programme 2022 – 2027 which increases the country’s offshore wind target by 10.7 GW to 22.2 GW of operating offshore wind capacity by 2030.
The Additional Draft North Sea Programme 2022 – 2027 replaces chapter 9 of the Draft North Sea Programme 2022 – 2027, which was available for inspection from March to September 2021 as an appendix to the Draft National Water Programme 2022 – 2027.
The Additional Draft North Sea Programme 2022 – 2027 designates wind farm zones in the North Sea in the context of meeting the tightening EU climate targets for 2030 of a 55 percent CO2 reduction by 2030. The draft forecasts an additional need of 10.7 GW of offshore wind to meet this target. According to the Additional Draft, the new offshore wind capacity would be developed within the newly designated, as well as the existing zones, as pictured above.
Designated zones 1,2, and 5 East would accommodate 8 GW of offshore wind capacity, while the existing zones IJmuiden Ver North 2 GW, and the Hollandse Kust (west) 700 MW, would provide the rest 2,7 GW of offshore wind capacity needed to meet the climate target.
Source: Draft North Sea 2022-2027 program (In Dutch)
Author: Kumara Rathnam