EDF Renewables, marine contractor Jan De Nul and energy group Luminous have teamed up to make a joint bid for the development of an offshore wind zone in Belgium that could host up to 3.5 GW of turbine capacity.
Through a joint venture (JV), the trio will take part in the tender process for the initial phase of the Princess Elisabeth Zone, the renewable energy arm of French power giant EDF (EPA:EDF) said on Tuesday.
The giant development area spans over 281 sq km (108.5 sq miles) and is set to create Belgium’s second offshore wind zone. It will become home to the world’s first artificial energy island. Just recently, Belgium’s Jan De Nul and DEME won a tender to install the Princess Elisabeth Island within the specific zone, about 45 km (30 miles) off the coast. Construction is due to start in early 2024 and last until August 2026.
“[..] we’re very committed to offer a competitive bid on the upcoming Princess Elisabeth area and contribute to Belgium’s energy transition and development of a European offshore wind power industry,” said Frederic Belloy, Executive Vice President, International Operations for EDF Renewables.
The Princess Elisabeth zone will be awarded through a tender that will give winners concessions for the developing and installation of offshore wind parks west off the Belgian coast. The zone itself consists of three separate areas — Noordhinder Noord, Noordhinder Zuid and Fairybank. The zone’s potential capacity was expanded from the initial 1.75 GW in October 2021.
Source: renewablesnow
