Denmark Invites Bidders to Build 400-Megawatt Offshore Windfarm

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Energy companies are preparing to go head-to-head in the coming months as Denmark has announced that it is now inviting tenders to build one of Europe's largest offshore windfarms. The Danish Energy Association has invited tenders for a 400-megawatt (MW) offshore windfarm off the west coast of Denmark's Anholt Island. The windfarm will not only be the largest in Denmark but also one of the largest in Europe. The windfarm is expected to be completed and connected to the Danish national grid by 2012 and will provide enough power for 400,000 homes.

"This is a big step towards the realization of the government's vision for Denmark to become independent of fossil fuels, and it is an important measure towards achieving our ambitious target for renewable energy and CO2 reductions," said Connie Hedegaard, Minister for Climate and Energy.

Denmark currently has eight offshore windfarms operating with a combined electrical capacity of 424 MW, making the Anholt project by far the largest ever proposed in Denmark. The country's Vindeby windfarm was the world's first offshore windfarm when it was constructed in 1991. Things have moved on since building the 5-MW facility, with the construction of the 160-MW Horns Rev 1 and 158-MW Nysted projects. Two other projects coming online soon include the 200-MW Horns Rev II windfarm, which is scheduled to start construction this year and the 200-MW Rodsand II windfarm, which is expected to be complete in 2010.

To speed up the regulatory process this time around and make it less risky for bidders, the Danish Energy Association has adjusted the tendering procedure that was used for the Rodsand II and Horns Rev II projects. Energinet.dk, the Danish transmission system operator, has begun preliminary investigations on the site of the project, which will include an Environmental Impact Assessment and preliminary geophysical/geotechnical surveys of the seabed. These reports and the public hearing will be complete before the bidders' April 7, 2010 deadline.

Energinet.dk will also be responsible for financing and constructing the substation at sea and connecting the farm to the electrical grid on land.

In 2007, 19.7% of Danish electricity production was based on wind power, but this is expected to approach 28% with Horns Rev II, Roedsand II and Anholt coming online. The Anholt windfarm alone will provide 4% of Denmark's electricity.

Denmark has very ambitious wind energy plans, and last month saw the Danish Wind Turbine Owners' Association (Aarhus, Denmark) and the Danish Wind Industry Association (Frederiksberg, Denmark) revealing plans that would bring wind-generated energy to account for half of Denmark's power needs by 2020. The plans also proposed a replacement cycle for older turbines with newer, more efficient and powerful turbines that would reduce the number of onshore turbines by more than 2,000. Denmark has more than 5,000 wind turbines generating more than 3,200 MW of power. For additional information, see related news item from April 20, 2009 - Danish Wind Power Generation to Increase 180% Using 2,000 Less Turbines.

IIR's Renewable Energy Database provides extensive coverage on the Wind Energy, Geothermal, Hydroelectric, Landfill Gas-to-Energy and Utility-Scale Solar power plants throughout North America, and now expanding coverage across the world.

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