Belgian mobile energy storage site wind power tender

Why has Belgium halted a 700 MW wind farm tender?

Belgium’s federal government has halted the 700-MW tender for the first site of the Princess Elisabeth Zone (PEZ) in the North Sea, postponing the competitive procedures due to increased costs. Offshore wind farm. Author: Beverley Goodwin. License: Creative Commons, Attribution 2.0 Generic

Can offshore wind energy be used in Belgium?

Other forms of offshore renewable energy are being studied but are still at an experimental or demonstration stage. Since 2020, a total capacity of 2261 MW of offshore wind energy is operational in the Belgian part of the North Sea. The federal government decided to increase the capacity of offshore wind energy in 2021.

Will Belgium increase its offshore wind capacity by 2032?

Belgium aims to increase its 2.3 GW of operational offshore wind capacity by adding capacity across the three plots in the Princess Elisabeth wind zone by 2032. Meanwhile, construction is ongoing at the Princess Elisabeth Island, the world's first artificial energy island that will collect and transmit electricity generated by the offshore zone.

What are the risks of the Princess Elisabeth zone offshore wind tender?

According to Mathieu Bihet, Federal Minister of Energy, the offshore wind tender for the first lot of the Princess Elisabeth Zone involved several risks: major legal uncertainties, an unrealistic calendar, and a vague financial framework. A new tender is planned to be launched by the end of the first quarter of 2026, the ministry said.