The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) has announced that no applications were received for the development and operation of the 1 GW Nederwiek I-A offshore wind site in the North Sea. Rising costs and lower-than-expected electricity demand have put pressure on offshore wind development. A new tender round will take place in 2026, incorporating measures from the Offshore Wind Energy Action Plan.
Since 2018, projects have been developed in the Netherlands without subsidies thanks to innovation and large-scale deployment. However, market conditions have shifted sharply: costs for developers have increased, while industrial electrification has slowed. This has made it more difficult to secure long-term power purchase agreements before construction, reducing investor confidence.
Similar situations have been observed in Germany, Denmark, the United Kingdom and Belgium, where tenders have failed or been delayed due to limited market interest. For Nederwiek I-A, tender requirements had already been adjusted to reflect the current market environment.
To maintain progress, the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth launched the Offshore Wind Energy Action Plan on Budget Day 2025. The plan introduces financial support for new projects and measures to boost demand for offshore-generated electricity.
In 2026, the government plans to issue permits for 2 GW of offshore wind capacity through a subsidised tender, with €948 million reserved from the Climate Fund. The specific sites, schedule and final subsidy amount will be announced by January 2026.
The ministry is also developing a new form of financial support through Contracts for Difference (CfDs), which guarantee a minimum electricity price to developers and return excess profits to the state when market prices are high.
