The Danish Energy Agency (DEA) has approved the feasibility study report (environmental impact report) for the Aflandshage offshore wind farm, an up to 300 MW project being developed by HOFOR in the Øresund Strait.
This approval does not give the project developer the right to build the offshore wind farm, but it does give HOFOR the opportunity to proceed to the next steps in the application process, including applying for a permit to build the project, the DEA pointed out in a press release on 13 June.
The Danish Energy Agency will take a final decision on whether an establishment permit can be granted for the project once public consultation on the application for the permit has been carried out on the basis of the now approved environmental impact report, which also includes notes from the previous public consultation on the environmental impact report, held from November 2021 until February of this year.
If HOFOR applies for an establishment permit, it is expected that the environmental impact report for the project and HOFOR’s application will be sent for consultation in mid-July.
The Aflandshage offshore wind farm, located eight kilometres from the coast, will comprise between 26 and 45 wind turbines and will have a total installed capacity of up to 300 MW.
The project is expected to be connected to the electricity grid at Avedøre Power Station, owned by Ørsted, where the offshore wind farm is planned to be linked to the existing 132 kV station via a new 33 or 66 kV / 132 kV transformer station.
Last year, HOFOR entered into an agreement with Ørsted for the supply of clean electricity from the offshore wind farm to the 1.3 GW Green Fuels for Denmark project, which involves the production of sustainable fuels in the Greater Copenhagen area.
Under the agreement with Ørsted, the power from Aflandshage could enable parts of Green Fuels for Denmark’s second phase of 250 MW and meet the power demand for the project’s first phase.
In addition to Green Fuels for Denmark, the agreement could potentially also cover the power demand of the electrolysis plant that will supply hydrogen to DFDS’s proposed hydrogen-powered ferry between Copenhagen and Oslo, if this project is realised.