More than a quarter of EU offshore wind platforms are Dutch-designed
The energy transition is gathering momentum. Particularly at sea (offshore), the number and speed at which wind farms and platforms are being built are increasing significantly. The design of these transformer platforms, which enable wind energy to be brought to shore, is a complex task. According to a report by WindEurope, engineering company Iv is responsible for the design of more than a quarter of the offshore wind platforms currently installed to connect offshore wind energy in the European Union. And many more are under development.
In 2023, around 19 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy were produced at sea in Europe, enough to power almost 20 million homes annually. On land, the share of green energy is much higher at 201 GW. However, offshore wind energy is gaining ground, and in the coming decades, the ambition of the European Union and the Netherlands will only increase.
Iv is responsible for over a quarter, around 5 GW, of the 19 GW of installed offshore wind capacity. Examples include the Borssele Alpha and Beta platforms (1.4 GW), Dolwin Alpha (800 MW) and Helwin Beta (680 MW). Iv is the only engineering company in the Netherlands with this level of experience and expertise. The Netherlands is aiming for no less than 70 GW of offshore wind power by 2050. By the end of 2023, it will have reached 4.7 GW. By 2030, this should have increased to 21 GW.
Much remains to be done to achieve this goal, but the steps being taken are significant. For example, Iv is currently designing two platforms for TenneT in the North Sea: IJmuiden Ver Beta and IJmuiden Ver Gamma. These are presently the largest converter platforms in the world, with a capacity of 2 GW each. In addition to the platforms in the IJmuiden Ver area, Iv will also design one of the Nederwiek platforms.
Furthermore, Iv is working on three platforms in the German Baltic Sea (Ostwind 3 and Gennaker East and West), Thor in Denmark, and Iv is also active outside the European Union. For example, Iv designed the Sofia platform, which will be installed this year on the Dogger Bank off the coast of the United Kingdom. These platforms account for more than 2 GW of offshore wind energy. In addition, Iv will provide the design for 3.4 GW of AC modules on Princess Elisabeth Island off the coast of Belgium.
The ambitions of Europe, the Netherlands and Iv are huge, and more and more is being achieved. In 2023, the Netherlands led the way with more than 1.9 GW of installed offshore capacity, more than Germany, France, the UK and Denmark combined.
Iv maintains an up-to-date world map showing all the platforms that have been or are being designed by Iv. The map provides a clear overview of Iv’s contribution to the energy transition.
Fedor, managing director Offshore & Energy and also COO of Iv, would be delighted to discuss this with you! Get in touch via +31 88 943 3300 or send a message.
