Belgium to Open Second Offshore Wind Zone

Belgium plans to open a second offshore wind zone which will allow the development of further 2GW of capacity post-2020, according to Belgium’s Secretary for the North Sea Philippe De Backer. 

The new 221 km2 zone, located near the French border and roughly 35 to 40 kilometres offshore, was identified in the country’s new Maritime Spatial Plan which the Council of Ministers will discuss Friday, 20 April.

The wind farms built in the new zone will boost Belgium’s operating offshore wind capacity to 4GW by 2025, providing half of Belgian households with renewably sourced electricity.

“We are going to double the capacity, and in this way we will probably be able to replace one nuclear power station, which must be closed by 2025,” De Backer said during a radio appearance.

The new zone will be offered to developers via a public tender, De Backer said, adding that the government expects the new wind farms could be built without any subsidies.