Vattenfall and BASF plan Dutch offshore wind bids

Swedish renewables developer Vattenfall is bidding in the Netherlands’ 1.4GW zero-subsidy offshore wind tender, and plans to co-develop one of the two 700MW projects with chemicals giant BASF.

The Hollandse Kust West zone is located approximately 53km off the west coast of the Netherlands, and is divided between two 700MW sites: Site VI and Site VII.

Vattenfall will bid alone for Site VII, which requires investments for innovations that benefit the Dutch energy system. Meanwhile, Vattenfall and BSSF will bid together for Site VI, which requires ecologically beneficial measures.

The two companies will face competition from SSE Renewables, which has also announced plans to bid in the upcoming tenders, which cose on 14 May.

A decision on the tender is expected after the summer.

Helene Biström, head of wind at Vattenfall, said: “We are pleased to see the Dutch government’s decision to continue its successful approach to offshore wind roll-out and award sites in a tender based on qualitative criteria, this time focusing on ecology and system integration. 

“This approach pushes developers to deliver their very best proposals, stimulates innovation and sees the Netherlands taking the lead in offshore wind development, which benefits the energy transition and society as a whole.” 

BASF has a target of net zero emissions by 2050.To help meet this target, it is investing in other renewable energy projects such as Vattenfall’s Hollandse Kust Zuid, and buying output from others, including a 2GW North Sea wind farm planned by RWE and Ørsted’s Borkum Riffgrund 3. 

The Netherlands is consulting on plans to have 22.2GW of operational offshore wind capacity by 2030. It currently has just under 3GW, according to Windpower Intelligence, the research and data division of Windpower Monthly.