The two offshore wind zones are among the areas the Dutch government designated last year as part of the goal for the Netherlands to double the total planned capacity for offshore wind energy to around 21 GW by 2030.
In March last year, the Dutch Government designated three new offshore wind zone – Nederwiek, Lagelander, Doordewind – and confirmed two previously designated zones, the northern part of Ijmuiden Ver and the southern part of Hollandse Kust West.
Three months later, the government announced the tendering timelines and locations for nine offshore wind projects within the zones, which have a combined capacity of up to 13.4 GW.
The Nederwiek zone, located 90 kilometres off the west coast of the Netherlands, is divided into two areas, Nederwiek Zuid & Noord (North and South), and three project sites: the 2 GW Nederwiek Zuid I, the 2 GW Nederwiek Noord II, and the 2 GW Nederwiek Noord III.
Nederwiek Noord II and III are planned to be auctioned off in 2026 and are scheduled for commissioning in 2030 and 2031, respectively.
The 700 MW Hollandse Kust West VIII is located some 50 kilometres off the Dutch west coast, south of the two now-awarded Hollandse Kust West Sites VI and VII, for which a joint venture of Shell and Eneco and RWE secured development permits last year, respectively.
Hollandse Kust West Site VIII is planned to be put out to tender in 2026 or 2027 and the offshore wind farm which will be built there is expected to be commissioned after 2031.