Danish grid operator Energinet is initiating preliminary studies for the up to 1GW Hesselo offshore wind project farm to establish the project’s onshore grid connection.
Hesselo, located in Kattegatt, is the second of the three offshore wind farms proposed in the Energy Agreement 2018. The first is Thor.
Initially, Hesselo was scheduled for commissioning in 2028, but according to the recently approved Climate Action Plan, both Hesselo and Thor will be commissioned in 2027.
Denmark plans to start the tendering procedure for the project next year and choose a winner in 2022.
In order to achieve commercial operation by then feasibility studies for the project will have to be completed in a shorter time, said Energinet.
By August, the Danish Energy Agency will submit a draft exploration permit to Energinet in consultation with relevant authorities.
The feasibility study permit will enable Energinet to start collecting relevant information from the project site, including cable corridors to land, as well as relevant environmental information.
Hesselo will be tendered to in a way that maximises value from the site for the chosen developer that will hold the concession for the site.
Bidders will have the opportunity to construct up to 200MW of additional capacity on top of the 1GW that will be delivered to the electricity grid at the grid connection point.
This approach will help to optimise the use of the cables onshore. The developer can use the extra capacity to ensure a more continuous flow of power to the grid, said Energinet.
The project’s bidders will be able to assess whether there is a business case for building extra capacity.
Concession winners will also be able to supply electricity generated by Hesselo into a Power-to-X system or a battery instead of directly to the grid.