New wind farms at sea will soon have a permit that is valid for up to forty years, up from thirty years now. Dutch Minister Eric Wiebes (Economic Affairs) wants to extend the term in order to keep wind energy attractive and affordable.
The longer term is to give developers more certainty about the sale of electricity and more time to recoup their investments.
The construction of offshore wind farms is an important pillar of climate and energy policy. The Ministry points to the Borssele wind farm, which supplied the first electricity to the grid last month. From the beginning of 2021, it will generate an amount of electricity equal to the consumption of two million households.
To make the longer permit term possible, Wiebes will submit a letter of amendment to the Wind Energy at Sea Act before the summer. Wind farms that already have a permit may apply for an extension after approximately twenty years, as will be provided for in the new bill.
Source: ANP
