Swedish state-owned Vattenfall is building what will be the world’s biggest offshore wind power park in the Netherlands. When finished, the installed capacity will be 1,5 gigawatts – the same as Sweden’s biggest nuclear power reactor.
The wind power park Hollandse Kust Zuid will consist of 140 turbines when completed, which will be the biggest offshore wind power plant in the world that has not received any subsidies. Other, bigger projects are however currently in the construction phase.
Construction of the park started in 2021 and is expected to be completed in 2023.
Great potential for offshore wind power
Wind power stands for 14 % of Europe’s energy production today. Offshore wind power parks have great potential since these parks can be built bigger than on land and the capacity effect is bigger, due to the larger wings.
In Sweden, wind power stands for about 17 % of the total energy production, a number which has increased significantly during the last decade. Thanks to new technology, wind power is now present even in the northern, colder parts of Sweden.
Sources:
SR – Vattenfall is building one of the world’s biggest wind power parks at sea (partly in Swedish)
Energiföretagen – Offshore wind power (In Swedish)
Swedish Energy Agency – Energy in Sweden 2022 – an overview (in English)
