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Wind Power News: Netherlands
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational mission to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law. The original articles, links to which are provided, may have additional links and photos and other media that were not included here.
Dutch offshore wind boom could trigger huge household bill increases
Dutch consumers could pay three times as much for electricity after an ambitious offshore energy expansion, barring a massive change to the current financing model. The average household grid tariff in the Netherlands could nearly triple after new planned wind power projects, from €400 today to more than €1,100–according to Dutch public broadcaster NOS . State-owned transmission system operator TenneT plans to invest €88 billion by 2040 to connect a new fleet of North Sea wind parks to the Dutch . . . Complete story »
Dutch postpone offshore wind farm tenders due to low interest
The Netherlands will postpone tenders for two offshore wind farms with a total capacity of 2 gigawatts (GW) due to a lack of interest from potential bidders, the Dutch government said on Friday. The tenders had originally been planned for September. The government said it would now only open a tender for one location in the North Sea with a capacity of 1 GW then. The Dutch Climate ministry said in March that interest for the three sites it wanted . . . Complete story »
Dutch government scales back offshore wind to preserve fisheries
The Dutch government has reduced its offshore wind targets and removed one of the zones set for offshore wind development to give more room to the fishing sector. The authorities decided to amend their North Sea Programme and, with it, reduce the offshore wind energy target from 50GW to 21GW. This also comes with the removal of the Lagelander wind energy area, located west of Texel and Vlieland, from future offshore wind plans due to its great value for fishing. . . . Complete story »
Crew injured as offshore support vessel hits North Sea wind turbine
The Royal Dutch Sea Rescue Society reports it evacuated two injured crewmembers from a privately operated offshore standby safety vessel that had hit the base off an offshore wind turbine in the North Sea. There is no word on the condition of the two crewmembers who were taken to a hospital in the Netherlands while the media reports indicate a third crewmember also voluntarily went to the hospital after the vessel returned to port. The call for the medical evacuation . . . Complete story »
Study measures seabirds’ habitat loss as a result of wind turbines
A Wageningen Marine Research study shows that razorbills and guillemots on the North Sea avoid wind parks in their flight path. The study uses a new statistical method to determine the effect of wind parks on the spatial distribution of seabirds. The rapid growth of offshore wind parks in the North Sea necessitates a better understanding of the impact of wind turbines on marine species. The classical method was for researchers to conduct a census of the bird population in . . . Complete story »
Noord-Holland rejects plans for wind turbines in Noorder IJ, Amsterdam
Politicians in Noord-Holland have nearly unanimously rejected the arrival of three wind turbines in the Noorder IJpolder, Amsterdam, by Oostzaan and Zaanstad. A request from proponents to postpone a decision, as the initiators and the municipality of Amsterdam wished, did not achieve a majority. The Provincial Councils rejected the controversial plan a year ago while it was in concept because the large windmills would not suit the area and would cause too much damage. The Provincial Executive was still in . . . Complete story »
Eneco says no to new offshore wind farms, calls for new system
Energy company Eneco has pulled out of bidding to develop two new offshore wind farms, saying the financial risks are too great and there is a growing risk of delays. Tendering has begun to build two new wind farms off the coast at IJmuiden, which should produce enough electricity for four million households. However, Eneco said on Thursday, it is not taking part. “In the early years high subsidies were paid for the production of electricity but this has been . . . Complete story »
‘Windparken verstoren groei plankton en daarmee voedselketen op de Noordzee’
[Offshore wind turbines disrupt plankton growth and thus the food chain in the North Sea – There are also the effects of power cables on sharks’ and rays’ embryos, bird collisions and obstacles, and the sound of pile-driving to install thousands of new turbines.] Windturbines lijken de groei van plankton te verstoren in bepaalde gebieden op de Noordzee. Dat vormt een risico voor de voedselketen op zee. Die waarschuwing uiten onderzoekers zaterdagavond in een uitzending van wetenschapsprogramma Focus op NPO 2. . . . Complete story »
Europees rapport kritisch voor productie hernieuwbare energie op zee
[Offshore wind energy can be harmful to the environment. Moreover, current EU policy is unrealistically ambitious.] Een kritisch Europees rapport geeft munitie aan de critici van windenergie op zee. Met het oog op de beoogde klimaatneutraliteit tegen 2050 zet de EU al enkele jaren zwaar in op de productie van offshore hernieuwbare energie. Paradoxaal genoeg kan deze blauwe energie zelf ook schadelijk zijn voor het milieu, zo blijkt. Bovendien is het huidige EU-beleid ook onrealistisch ambitieus. Twee jaar geleden stelde . . . Complete story »
Wonen in een hel vanwege Windpark N33 [Living in hell]
[Objections and complaints from local residents structurally ignored] De Groningse werkgroep Tegenwind N33 heeft tevergeefs geprobeerd de aanleg van Windpark N33 tegen te houden. Nu daar al twee jaar 35 enorme windturbines draaien zijn de nadelige gevolgen voor de omwonenden niet kinderachtig. Bovendien stoot dit windpark – net zoals alle windparken – veel ‘zeer zorgwekkende stoffen’ uit waarover nauwelijks iets bekend is, maar vragen van de werkgroep gebaseerd op eigen onderzoek worden steevast afgewimpeld. Ines van Bokhoven doet verslag. “We . . . Complete story »
