Danish transmission system operator (TSO) Energinet has received an order to initiate preliminary studies at the areas that could accommodate 6 GW of new offshore wind capacity as well as at the new location of the Hesselø offshore wind farm.
This year, the Danish Energy Agency (DEA) carried out a fine screening of a number of areas that could potentially host new offshore wind farms, including alternative locations for the Hesselø project whose originally planned site was deemed unsuitable.
A few days ago, the Danish political parties signed an agreement on the new location for the Hesselø offshore wind farm, moving the project site to the south of the initially chosen area.
All the areas that Energinet has now been instructed to investigate were included in DEA’s fine screening, which concluded that all these areas are considered suitable for setting up offshore wind farms: Nordsø I (North Sea I), Kattegat 2, Hesselø (south), and Kriegers Flak 2 .
The preliminary studies that the TSO will undertake include seabed investigations, wind and wave measurements, and studies of other environmental conditions that may have an impact on the possibilities to establish offshore wind in the areas.
Site investigations will be conducted as part of feasibility studies and preparations for the establishment of the grid connection facilities and any necessary grid reinforcements for all the offshore wind locations from the 2022 fine screening.
Preliminary studies and preparations are initiated collectively and independently of the decisions on the specific locations of the individual offshore wind farms, which the parties to the 2022 Climate Agreement on Green Electricity and Heat will announce, together with tender frameworks for the new offshore wind capacity, in the second half of this year.
Energinet noted that, initially, it only performs initial, preparatory work for grid connection systems and grid reinforcements, and that it will be possible to cancel the work with grid connection facilities and grid reinforcements in connection with the final decision on the location of and tender framework for the wind farms.