The Netherlands strives to achieve international climate goals by advancing sustainable energy, with offshore wind power playing a key role. By 2030, Dutch offshore wind capacity will total at least 11.5 GW, supplying significant electricity volumes per year for households and industries. The success of offshore wind in the Netherlands is largely contributable to a powerful public-private partnership as well as to a strong and firmly established supply chain. Through our joint efforts with the industry, the Dutch Government has demonstrated the potential of offshore wind as a powerful and cost-effective solution to achieving our climate and energy objectives, whilst advancing economic and innovation opportunities.
The Dutch Approach
Dutch public and private parties have teamed up to design, develop, build, and maintain high quality offshore wind farms in the North Sea, one of the busiest sea straits in the world with commercial interests alongside protected wildlife habitats and recreational activities. With four operational wind farms in place, the Offshore Wind Energy Roadmap outlines where new wind farms will be built in the Dutch North Sea up until 2030. This approach provides greater certainty for project developers, increases investor confidence, and drives down overall costs.
Centuries of knowledge
The Dutch have centuries of experience and in-depth knowledge working offshore, owing to decades of worldwide involvement in flood defence, dredging, oil and gas, in addition to a 20-year track record in offshore wind. We are familiar with conditions above and below sea level and have used that knowledge to create a successful Dutch offshore wind energy supply chain. In this chain, small and large companies work with our knowledge institutions to constantly develop innovative solutions for offshore wind farms. With the North Sea in our front yard, we have excellent testing grounds at our doorstep, enabling us to swiftly convert innovation concepts into viable and practical applications to further optimise the use of offshore wind.
Cooperate and innovate
The Netherlands has a strong research community and a vast network of innovative SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups. There are grants and subsidy programs in place to support innovation. Dutch research and knowledge institutions, like TKI Wind op Zee (Top consortium for Knowledge and Innovation Offshore Wind), facilitate research, development, demonstrations, valorisation, knowledge transfer, (international) collaboration, education, and market development towards maximising the cost reduction and economic impact related to offshore wind.
Distinctive supply chain
The distinctive capabilities of the Dutch supply chain comprise of a wide range of complex and critical components for offshore wind farms, such as
- Wind farm development – design, (environmental) studies and (geotechnical) surveys;
- Structures – manufacturing and supply of foundations, offshore substations and wind turbine parts;
- Installation and commissioning – construction, design and operation of transport and installation vessels, piling and hammering, cable installation, seabed preparation and scour protection;
- Operations and maintenance services – logistics, vessel agency services, IRM (Inspection, Repair and Maintenance) services;
- Research and development – innovation and data gathering, ecological research;
- End of life solutions – decommissioning, recycling and seabed reconstruction;
- Consultancy.
Wind and water works
Being at the forefront of the rapid development of offshore wind in our own country, we are keen to share our experiences and knowledge with others. Developing offshore wind farms requires dedicated teamwork, collaboration, and innovation across the board to ensure every wind farm has a safe and sustainable future. The Dutch can significantly contribute to any offshore wind development project in the world, based on a vast and unprecedented track record, a well-established supply chain and our entrepreneurial spirit. Let’s work together to utilise the full potential of offshore wind energy; to contribute to our global climate goals, whilst transforming our business models to serve the sustainable society of tomorrow. We are ready to show the world that wind and water works!
Did you know?
- The Dutch Government oversees the whole consenting and permitting process thus lowering risks for developers significantly by providing full sets of certified offshore wind data and site studies, whilst transmission system operator TenneT is responsible for the offshore grid infrastructure.
- In 2017, the Dutch approach resulted in the first subsidy-free offshore wind farm in the Netherlands.
- Dutch companies have contributed to almost all European offshore wind projects and are rapidly expanding their activities on a global scale.
- Offshore wind is becoming a key industry for major Dutch ports and coastal harbours, spurring new transport, construction and maintenance activities and driving economic stability.
- New higher education curricula and specialised training focused on employment in the offshore wind sector have been developed to anticipate on the need for 12,000 employees who will work in the Dutch offshore wind sector by 2030.
- A strong partnership between the offshore wind supply chain and renowned Dutch knowledge institutions push the boundaries to create innovative offshore wind solutions.
