A broad coalition of 21 leading organisations in the offshore wind sector is calling on Minister Micky Adriaansens Hermans, responsible for Climate and Green Growth, to ensure the continued implementation of the Netherlands’ 21 GW offshore wind roadmap. The coalition stresses the need for urgent action to prevent delays and stagnation in a sector vital to climate objectives, energy security, and economic growth.

Members of the coalition include major industry players such as RWE, Vestas, Ocean Winds, Ørsted, Vattenfall, and the Dutch wind energy association NedZero. They are urging the Dutch government to accelerate industrial electrification and introduce a two-sided Contract for Difference (CfD) to provide developers and investors with the financial stability necessary to move projects forward.

April 2024 postponement raises sector concerns

The industry’s call comes in response to growing concern following the postponement of the offshore wind roadmap, announced in April 2024. At that time, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate informed Parliament that the target of reaching 21 GW of offshore wind capacity would be delayed from 2031 to 2032.

This revision also included the postponement of critical tenders, such as that for IJmuiden Ver Gamma. The government cited several reasons for the delay: permitting timelines, grid connection delivery schedules, supply chain pressures, and the technical time required to connect large 2 GW wind farms to the offshore grid.

Despite the revised timeline, the coalition maintains that halting progress in offshore wind development is not an option. To ensure the availability of sufficient renewable energy and to maintain momentum in the energy transition, the roadmap must proceed without further delays. Although Minister Hermans has announced a forthcoming Action Plan for Offshore Wind, the sector insists that concrete measures are needed immediately.

Industry recommendations to safeguard deployment

To maintain the trajectory of offshore wind deployment, the coalition is calling for the following steps:

• Introduce two-sided Contracts for Difference (CfDs) to provide long-term investment certainty for developers and their supply chains;

• Prepare a back-up option via the SDE++ subsidy scheme for 2026, should CfDs not be available in time;

• Strengthen incentives for industrial electrification, including compensation for grid tariffs.

The Netherlands has long held a position as a global leader in offshore wind innovation and project development. A slowdown in deployment could have serious consequences for both Dutch and European energy security, as well as the broader investment and business climate.

With this joint appeal, the offshore wind sector reaffirms its commitment to work closely with the government in securing a sustainable, independent energy future for the Netherlands and Europe.