Dutch Senate Sets the Stage for Offshore Wind

The Dutch Senate yesterday approved the amendment of the Electricity Act related to the development of offshore wind energy, thus providing the required legal basis and confirming TenneT’s role as the developer and operator of the Dutch offshore grid. 

In December 2015, the Senate rejected the so-called “Stroom” bill, which caused a delay in the legislative decision-making process and jeopardized the timely completion of the grid connections for the first offshore wind farms in the Borssele zone.

TenneT CEO Mel Kroon said: “The adoption of this amendment to the Electricity Act means that TenneT can now apply the knowledge and expertise gained in Germany in connecting OWFs to the onshore grid, and use it to contribute to the energy transition in the Netherlands.” 

In the coming years, offshore wind farms will be developed off Borssele and the North and South Holland coasts. The construction of an offshore electricity grid will allow for the electricity generated by wind turbines at sea to be transported to the users on the mainland as cheaply as possible. Over the next decade, the costs will be reduced by 40%, according to Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs.

In addition, the newly adopted law provides a clarification to offshore wind farm developers on the liability for damage from delays and disruptions at the offshore grid. Therefore, it is expected that more developers will sign up for the offshore wind farm tenders. The greater the competition, the cheaper a wind farm can be built, the Ministry said on its website.