Belgium Could Raise 2020 Offshore Wind Bar

Belgium has the potential to almost double its installed offshore wind capacity planned for 2020, according to Flemish Minister for Energy Bart Tommelein, who sees the 2,200MW capacity planned for 2020 going to 4,000MW.

Tommelein said that offshore wind farms are extremely important for achieving the country’s renewable energy targets and that there should be as many wind turbines as possible by the beginning of 2020.

The energy minister also expects Secretary of State for the North Sea Philippe De Backer to provide more room for new offshore wind farms in the new marine spatial plan, according to national media.

Bart Tommelein’s view of the future offshore wind capacity came after an agreement was reached between the federal government and the developers of three offshore new wind farms, which will be built by 2020 and receive EUR 3.9 billion less in subsidies.

To remind, on 27 October, Belgian government and the developers agreed on a price of EUR 79/MWh for the projects as part of the government’s support scheme. The three offshore wind farms are 224MW Northwester 2, 246MW Seastar and 246MW Mermaid.