The Dutch Government has confirmed that its ambitious target to deploy 21GW of offshore wind energy by 2031 is likely to face a delay of one year.
In a letter addressed to the Dutch parliament, Minister for Climate and Energy Rob Jetten attributed the revised timeline to delays in grid connections and constraints within the supply chain.
Jetten acknowledged the scale of the task ahead, stating, “The realisation of 21GW is a gigantic task with many challenges.”
According to the updated schedule outlined in the letter, the target of reaching 21GW will now be achieved by the end of 2032, a year later than initially planned. The delay is primarily attributed to lead times in spatial procedures for grid connections, supply chain pressures, and the additional time required to connect wind farms to the offshore grid.
The Dutch government's offshore wind energy roadmap involves transmission system operator TenneT completing a total of 17 grid connections between the onshore network and sites in the North Sea. Currently, five grid connections are operational, catering to a capacity of 3.5GW, which was tendered between 2016-20.
This delay underscores the challenges inherent in executing large-scale renewable energy projects and highlights the importance of addressing logistical and regulatory hurdles to ensure the timely realization of renewable energy targets.
