Dutch government awards permits for 4 GW offshore wind project development

By Nina Chestney

LONDON (Reuters) - The Dutch government has awarded permits for offshore wind farm development totalling 4 gigawatts (GW) off the west coast of the Netherlands, in the largest wind tender in the country so far.

Swedish energy company Vattenfall and clean energy fund manager Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), through a joint venture called Zeevonk, were chosen to develop a 2 GW wind farm called IJmuiden Ver Beta, they said.

British firm SSE Renewables, via a consortium also including Dutch pension fund ABP and its asset manager APG, can also proceed with their bid for a 2 GW site called IJmuiden Ver Wind Farm Alpha, the company said.

SSE said the consortium will now look to refine its project ahead of a decision to progress, which is needed by July this year. The project will then be subject to a final investment decision by late 2025.

The Dutch government opened the tender earlier this year for IJmuiden Ver, totalling 4 GW in capacity. Another, third site at IJmuiden Ver, called Gamma, will be put out for tender next year.

(Reporting by Nina Chestney; Editing by Leslie Adler and Tomasz Janowski)