Netherlands Enterprise Agency (Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland or RVO), part of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, has awarded Fugro Survey B.V. with a contract to carry out geophysical soil investigations for the proposed offshore wind farm sites at Hollandse Kust Zuid (South).
Fugro Survey was one of nine applicants to the tender released back in December 2015.
The company has already started preliminary site investigation. Geophysical surveys will be performed from the 54-metre multi-purpose survey vessel, Fugro Pioneer, and the 40-metre Victor Hensen. The work will take place over a period of 3 to 4 weeks and will focus on mapping the seabed characteristics and sub-surface soil conditions.
Following the execution of the contract, valued at EUR 1.5 million, the data gathered will be made available to the participants in the SDE+ concession tenders for offshore wind farm zones in the Dutch part of the North Sea.
The SDE+ (Stimulering Duurzame Energieproductie/Stimulation of sustainable energy production) is an operating grant which encourages the production of renewable energy in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands has six offshore wind sites in the pipeline at two Hollandse Kust zones: four at Hollandse Kust Zuid, and two at Hollandse Kust Noord.
Each of the sites at the wind farm zones can accommodate 350MW. TenneT will build grid connections and construct offshore substations.
The subsidy and permit tender for sites Hollandse Kust Zuid I & II is planned to open in 2017, and Hollandse Kust Noord is scheduled for the process in 2019.
Offshore WIND Staff