AMSTERDAM: The Dutch government on Thursday said construction has been completed of the first large offshore "socket", or substation, that will connect 700 MW of energy from wind turbines in the North Sea to the mainland.The Borssele Alpha substation is the first of five of the same model platform which state-owned grid company TenneT plans to install by 2023 as part of efforts to meet Dutch renewable energy goals.
The Netherlands, which generated about 15% of its electricity needs from biomass, wind and solar sources in 2018, currently has 1 GW of installed offshore wind.
That total is expected to increase quickly from 2020 as 1.5 GW of new windpower comes on line off the coast near Borssele, equivalent to about 2.5% of national electricity use.
From 2022 the country expects to add roughly 1 GW of offshore wind capacity per year for a decade.