Dutch take axe to target in offshore wind 'reality check'
Government reduces predecessor's flagship goal by up to 20GW in move it says reflects industry under pressure and slower decarbonisation
The Dutch government has slashed its flagship offshore wind target by up to 20GW in a move it said reflects the reality of a wind industry under pressure and lackluster demand for green power.
However, Hermans said the revised goal acknowledges the reality of a target that is “currently unrealistic and probably unnecessary” due to the slower than expected pace of industrial electrification.
A government statement said that “the wind sector is under pressure: higher costs, stagnant demand, and a challenging market situation” and promised an “action plan” for the industry after the summer to “stimulate demand and support supply”.
The government claimed the revised goal offers “crucial flexibility” so “we can continue building, while keeping an eye on technological developments, our energy supply, societal support, and space at sea”.
Crucially for the industry, a shorter term plan to have 21GW in place by 2032 is retained. The government claimed it was still feasible to have half of Dutch electricity supplied by offshore wind by 2040 but "for industry in the Netherlands, clarity about the planning is essential: electrification and hydrogen will only get off the ground if the infrastructure is in place".
Dutch renewables lobbying group NedZero said the 2040 move “represents a significant step backward in ambition with far-reaching consequences for investment security, energy independence, and achieving national and European climate goals” and also seriously jeopardises the 70GW ambition.
NedZero added: “It’s disappointing that the decarbonisation of our industry has been too slow, resulting in lower demand for sustainable energy than expected. While it makes sense to delay the scaling up of supply, this unfortunately puts the cart before the horse.
“We certainly won't achieve our climate goals this way. In any case, we will continue developing offshore wind energy exactly as planned until 2032.”
With 4.7GW of installed offshore wind by the end of last year, the Netherlands had cemented its position as the continent’s third-largest market.
But advances have stalled somewhat since the current populist-right-led government took office in mid-2024. The volume of an offshore wind tender this year was cut to 1GW, from 3GW planned previously.