The Netherlands – Shell and Eneco are competing in the tenders for the offshore wind farms Hollandse Kust (west) sites VI and VII through their joint ventures Ecowende and SchakelWind.
The roll-out must be accelerated while remaining environmentally friendly and integrated into the Dutch energy system. With their bids, Shell and Eneco are taking on this challenge.
Ecowende
Shell and Eneco hope to kickstart a movement to build offshore wind farms that have a net positive impact on the environment through their joint venture Ecowende. The goal is to construct an offshore wind farm with a thriving ecosystem, minimal impact on birds and bats, and a pristine underwater world. This is significant because offshore wind has high ambitions, and the North Sea’s ecology must not be jeopardized.
Ecowende has created a comprehensive program for this, complete with solutions and innovative experiments. This will be implemented in collaboration with dozens of partners from the Netherlands and abroad, including experts, knowledge institutions, and commercial partners. The program will help people gain and improve their knowledge while also introducing them to the beauty of the North Sea.
SchakelWind
Shell and Eneco hope that the SchakelWind will enable a new phase in the energy transition for all sectors covered by the Dutch Climate Agreement. SchakelWind’s mission is to establish a new standard for the integration of offshore wind farms: a net positive impact on the Dutch energy system.
In addition to wind farm Hollandse Kust (west) site VII, SchakelWind will make numerous investments across the country in collaboration with businesses. For example, there will be projects that are completely in sync with the wind farm’s power production. This will ensure that the wind farm’s green energy is used as effectively and widely as possible to help the Netherlands become more sustainable. SchakelWind will support the future integration of offshore wind with various innovations and an extensive dissemination and communications program that will include internships and PhD research.
Hollandse Kust (west) VI and VII are expected to supply enough energy to green approximately 6% of Dutch electricity demand. Both wind farms will be built 53 kilometers off the coast of the Netherlands, west of IJmuiden, and will be operational in 2026.
