Vattenfall has decided to enter a bid for the sites, Alpha and Beta, of the 4 GW IJmuiden Ver offshore wind tender in the Netherlands.

Located 62 kilometres off the west coast of the Netherlands, the IJmuiden Ver Wind Farm Zone contains three sites, with IJmuiden Ver Gamma, the third site, expected to be put out to tender in 2025.

The tender for the Alpha and Beta sites, each of which can house approximately 2 GW of installed offshore wind capacity, was launched in February 2024.

Vattenfall said that the plans for site Alpha focus on biodiversity criteria, while Beta is focused on system integration.

The electricity consumption of both sites combined equals the energy consumption of four million Dutch households, according to the Swedish utility.

The bids are registered with the name “Zeevonk” which is the Dutch word for sea sparkle – a natural phenomenon. This plankton is known for its bioluminescence, illuminating the sea, and giving the water a bright blue glow that can be seen at night.

The name emphasizes the importance of biodiversity within the wind farm as well as the energy spark, “vonk” in Dutch, that is created by the electricity produced by a wind farm, said Vattenfall.

The company operates 4.1 GW in offshore wind projects, including the 1.5 GW Hollandse Kust Zuid wind farm in the Netherlands, which was officially inaugurated on 29 September.

For the Alpha site of IJmuiden Ver, the bid builds on insights gained from projects at Hollandse Kust Zuid, said Vattenfall. The company enters the bid for the Beta site with a partner.

Vattenfall’s announcement comes after Eneco unveiled that it pulled out of the IJmuiden Ver offshore wind tender, citing rising costs and risk of delays.

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