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Princess Amalia Wind Farm delivers first power

21 December 2007

Today the Princess Amalia Wind Farm delivers the first sustainable electricity to the Dutch national electricity grid and therefore to the Dutch sustainable energy users. The Princess Amalia Wind Farm, which lies offshore in the North Sea near IJmuiden, is owned by ECONCERN and Eneco. With a maximum production of 435.000.000 KWh per year, the wind farm can deliver enough electricity for around 125,000 Dutch households, reducing CO2 emissions by 225,000 tonnes.

Of the 30 turbines that have been fully installed thus far, seven are now actually delivering electricity. The contractors are continuing to work on the farm during the winter months, so that the number of turbines generating electricity will steadily increase. All 60 turbines, with a maximum capacity of 120MW, are expected to be connected to the grid at the end of the first quarter of 2008. The official opening of the offshore wind farm will be in the second quarter of 2008.

Dirk Berkhout, Member of the Board ECONCERN: “With regard to our mission, a sustainable energy supply for everyone, we largely invest in offshore wind farms in countries such as the United Kingdom and Belgium. From our contacts with the other big European players, it appears that they will not invest in activities in the Netherlands. This is a missed opportunity for the Netherlands.”

Jeroen de Haas, Chairman of the Board Eneco, says: “Wind at sea can make a substantial contribution to achieving the targets in the Dutch energy and climate policies. The North Sea is very suitable for offshore wind farms and offers the Netherlands space for about 6,000 MW of capacity, or 20% of the Dutch power consumption. It is crucial that the government sets clear targets and formulates a consistent policy, so that the Netherlands can attract more sustainable investments.”