Three energy companies, Eneco, Ocean Winds (the joint venture between EDP Renewables and ENGIE dedicated to offshore wind energy), and Otary, have announced the formation of a strategic partnership to jointly compete in the tender for the offshore wind Princess Elisabeth concessions in Belgium, pending necessary regulatory and competition approvals.

The consortium was formed to compete in the upcoming tenders for the Princess Elisabeth Zone (PEZ), that will be split into three lots: one for the development of a 700 MW offshore wind farm and two lots for the development of offshore wind farms each ranging from 1,225 to 1,400 MW.

All offshore wind farms are located into areas that will allow for bottom fixed technology. The consortium plans to participate in each of the upcoming tenders for PEZ, the first one expected for 2025.

According to an official statement, combining their strengths to participate in these tenders will allow them to submit the most competitive bid and deliver state-of-the-art offshore wind farms, thereby increasing their contribution to Belgium’s energy transition.

Preparatory work is already underway, including site assessments by the government and the construction of the Princess Elisabeth Island for the offshore grid connection by Elia. However, significant efforts are still needed to ensure timely project realization, including the Ventilus and Boucle du Hainaut projects for the onshore grid reinforcement.