SSE Renewables and the team developing the 2GW IJmuiden Ver Alpha offshore wind farm have signed a Realisation Agreement with TenneT for the project’s offshore grid connection.
The consortium comprises pension fund ABP and pension investor APG as well as and offshore wind developer SSE.
The IJmuiden Ver Alpha offshore wind farm will be built over 60 km off the Dutch coast.
It will be the first offshore wind farm to be connected by TenneT according to the new 2GW direct current standard.
The realisation agreement enables the development and construction of the physical grid infrastructure required to connect the wind farm to the Dutch high voltage grid.
Generated electricity from the wind farm will come ashore in Borssele and will be converted to alternating current at a converter station so that the power can be transported on the high-voltage grid to end users.
The offshore wind farm and the offshore grid connection are expected to be operational by the end of 2029.
The consortium of ABP/APG and SSE Renewables won the tender for the development of the 2GW IJmuiden Ver Alpha in June 2024.
The tender criteria for this lot focused on making a positive contribution to nature.
The consortium proposed a diverse package of measures to mitigate the impact on ecology and increase biodiversity.
Also, in collaboration with Naturalis Biodiversity Center, ABP/APG and SSE Renewables will investigate and monitor how wind farms can contribute to protecting and strengthening the ecosystem.
Bart Saenen (left), Senior Director Infrastructure Investments at APG, said: “Our consortium, together with TenneT, is proud to take this first step towards the realisation of the newest and largest wind farm in the Dutch North Sea.
“TenneT is introducing an impressive new standard with the 2GW direct current connection. This will soon allow the generated green power – about 7% of the current Dutch electricity demand – to be efficiently transmitted from the sea to households and businesses in the country.
“We look forward to a successful further cooperation.”
Jasper Vis (right), Netherlands Country Manager at SSE Renewables, said: “With the signing of the realisation agreement, we are taking another important step to progress development of the 2 GW Alpha site in the IJmuiden Ver Wind Farm Zone.
“This represents an unrivalled opportunity for our consortium of SSE Renewables with ABP/APG to work collaboratively with TenneT to realise the potential of this innovative new 2GW offshore wind farm.
“If approved for delivery, this wind farm can supply green energy to Dutch consumers via TenneT’s next generation of grid-to-se connections.”
Maarten Abbenhuis (centre), Chief Operating Officer at TenneT, said: “The signing of this realisation agreement marks the start of the collaboration between TenneT and the consortium that will build IJmuiden Ver Alpha.
“This consortium has a strong Dutch link through the involvement of APG combined with the experience of the international renewable energy developer SSE Renewables.
“Together, we are ambitious to successfully develop this first 2GW connection and the wind farm.
“It is an important step in making the Dutch energy supply more sustainable for consumers and industry.
“Moreover, with this first 2GW project, the Netherlands is once again showing that the energy transition and attention to the impact on nature go well together.”
By 2032, the Netherlands aims to achieve 21GW of energy from offshore wind. IJmuiden Ver Alpha would be the first wind farm to be connected according to the new 2GW standard.
TenneT is realising seven of these new offshore grid connections for offshore wind farms in the Dutch North Sea until 2032 that will use a 2GW direct current connection.