Eneco, Ocean Winds, and Otary have announced a strategic partnership aimed at competing in the upcoming tenders for the Princess Elisabeth Zone (PEZ) offshore wind concessions in Belgium, underscoring their commitment to bolstering clean energy infrastructure.
The consortium, which includes partners already collaborating on the successful SeaMade offshore wind farm, plans to bid for multiple lots within PEZ, totaling up to 2.5GW in capacity. These projects are set to utilize bottom-fixed technology, leveraging the consortium's combined expertise in offshore wind development.
Wouter Vandekerkhove, Country Manager Belgium and Netherlands at Ocean Winds, highlighted their collaborative approach: “Ocean Winds is thrilled to partner once again with Otary and Eneco for the Princess Elisabeth offshore wind tenders. Our participation will be based on our international expertise and experience from our three operational offshore wind farms and four under construction, combined with Otary and Eneco's local knowledge.”
Mathias Verkest, CEO of Otary, emphasized the consortium's readiness for the challenges ahead: “The Princess Elisabeth tenders will be complex, based on the Belgian Government's ambition to realize new offshore wind farms on a tight schedule, at the lowest societal cost, and amidst ongoing grid infrastructure development. As a Belgian company and offshore wind specialist, Otary wants to continue leading our country's energy transition.”
Miguel de Schaetzen, CEO of Eneco Wind Belgium, underscored the consortium's alignment with sustainable goals: “With our One Planet Plan, we act on a real ambition: becoming climate neutral by 2035. In order to do so, we need to further speed up our investments in renewable energy. Proud and grateful to be part of this consortium with expert partners – whom we have a long-term relationship with – we reinforce Eneco's leading position in the energy transition.”
The consortium's entry into the PEZ tenders signifies a concerted effort to expand Belgium's offshore wind capacity, building on existing infrastructure and contributing to local economic growth through job creation and sustainable energy production.
