The Hollandse Kust Noord offshore wind farm, located 18.5 kilometers off the coast of Egmond aan Zee, has become a significant contributor to the Dutch electricity grid. With its 69 advanced Siemens Gamesa SG 11.0-200 DD wind turbines, the farm provides 759 MW of power. Annually, it is expected to generate at least 3.3 TWh of electricity, catering to about 2.8% of the national electricity demand. This output is sufficient to meet the energy needs of approximately 1 million households, highlighting the significant contribution of offshore wind energy to large-scale power requirements.
The completion of the Hollands Kust Noord wind park marks a highlight in the Dutch and European wind industry. With 10 years of offshore wind, we have made great strides in the Netherlands with nature-focused and technical innovations, costs have gone down, and we have started to work more and more efficiently. We can be proud of that.
CrossWind secured a permit to build the Hollandse Kust Noord wind farm in July 2020, and construction of the facility commenced in October 2022 with the installation of the first monopile. A notable aspect of the project is its economic self-sufficiency, meaning it was constructed and is now operated without any subsidies. This offshore wind farm exemplifies the financial viability of renewable energy projects in today’s economic climate.
Tjalling de Bruin, the director of CrossWind, sums up the company’s philosophy with the statement: “We deliver, we innovate, we share.” He takes great pride in his team’s ability to develop the wind farm quickly and safely. Notably, the project includes innovative solutions to ensure a steady supply of electricity, even in low wind conditions, and CrossWind’s dedication to sharing these innovations plays a very important role in accelerating the shift to renewable energy.
By the end of 2023, the Netherlands had reached an offshore wind capacity of around 4.7 GW, exceeding its 4.5 GW target and fulfilling around 16% of its electricity demand. This achievement, part of the Roadmap 2023 outlined in the Dutch Energy Agreement over a decade ago, was facilitated by effective collaboration among wind park developers, government, suppliers, NGOs, and various other stakeholders.
