The Danish Energy Agency has officially launched tenders for three new offshore wind areas, marking a major step forward in Denmark’s strategy to expand renewable energy capacity in the North Sea and the Kattegat. According to the agency, the projects will deliver at least 2.8 GW of new offshore wind power—enough to supply green electricity to roughly three million Danish and European households.

The areas now opened for bidding are North Sea Mid, Hesselø, and North Sea South. Each zone will be developed under a two-sided, capability-based Contract for Difference (CfD), ensuring developers a fixed electricity price. The scheme is designed to reduce price volatility risks that previously discouraged market participation. The Danish state has set a payment cap of DKK 55.2 billion, including VAT.

Improved tender framework after 2024 setbacks

The new tenders build on extensive market dialogues that followed the unsuccessful 2024 round, when no bids were submitted for the first three offshore areas. These discussions contributed to two political agreements in 2025 that redefined the tender conditions, including the introduction of state-backed CfDs and increased development flexibility.

Sustainability, social responsibility and security requirements

The Danish Energy Agency has embedded several sustainability and social safeguards into the tender framework. These include:

• Requirements for recyclable turbine blades.

• Measures preventing social dumping in the labour chain.

• A nature-inclusive design mandate for the Hesselø project.

• The agency’s right to request ongoing documentation of compliance with Danish cybersecurity regulations, aimed at preventing security threats to critical infrastructure.

Timelines and submission deadlines

The complete tender documentation is being published via EU Supply, though access may be delayed by up to 48 hours from the official announcement.

The deadlines are:

• North Sea Mid (min. 1 GW): bids due spring 2026; completion by 2032.

• Hesselø (min. 800 MW): bids due spring 2026; completion by 2032.

• North Sea South (min. 1 GW): bids due autumn 2028; completion by 2034.

The framework will also allow developers to install overplanting capacity, enabling higher generation if technology and grid conditions permit.

Denmark’s new tenders strengthen its position as a European leader in offshore wind development and reflect the government’s commitment to maintaining momentum in the transition to green energy—this time with a tender model designed to secure actual market participation.