Frequently asked questions

Hollandse Kust Zuid Wind Farm

• Why is the Hollandse Kust Zuid Wind Farm being built?

  In the coming years, the Dutch government wants to drastically reduce the emission of greenhouse gases (such as CO2). For this reason, they entered into a number of agreements. The Energy Agreement (2013), the Paris Climate Agreement (2015) and the National Climate Agreement (2019). These agreements mean that more renewable energy needs to be produced. The government decides where the wind turbines will be located and the Dutch Enterprise Agency issues the tender, and in this way the decision is made about who will build the wind farm.

• How can Vattenfall build the wind farm without a subsidy?

  In the past, a government subsidy was needed in order to build a wind farm out at sea. The way in which the government looks for HKZ for a location, makes preparations, issues ready-to-roll licences and guarantees the connection to the national grid, carries a lot less risk nowadays. This, in turn, means lower costs. This means that Vattenfall is able to build HKZ without any financial support from the government.

• How big is the wind farm?

  The total area of the Hollandse Kust Zuid is made up of four sections that are also called parcels. Vattenfall is building parcels 1-4. Parcel 1 consists of 67 km2, parcel 2 consists of 48 km2, parcel 3 consists of 46 km2 and parcel 4 consists of 64 km2. In total Hollandse Kust Zuid covers 225km2. The wind farm provides approximately 1.500 megawatts (MW) of power.

• Where is Hollandse Kust Zuid Wind Farm located?

  Vattenfall is building the wind farm in the North Sea, at least 18 kilometres from the coast, in the area between The Hague and Zandvoort. In some cases, it is even further out to sea. Thus, the distance of the wind farm from the coast of The Hague is 23.5 kilometres. The farthest turbines are located 36km offshore.

• Why is the wind farm being built in this area of the North Sea?

  In order to counter climate change, the Dutch government has decided that a great many wind farms need to be built. Vattenfall as a company does not make the decision about the location of the wind farm, the Dutch government does. The location of Hollandse Kust Zuid in the North Sea is favourable. The quality of the seabed is good and it is not too deep. The wind farm is easily accessible from the port of IJmuiden.

   

• How many wind turbines will there be in the wind farm?

  Hollandse Kust Zuid is comprised of 139 turbines. Vattenfall selected Siemens Gamesa for delivering the turbines.

• How tall are the wind turbines?

  Each turbine has a tip height of 225.8 metres and a rotor diameter of 200 metres. The blades are 97 metres long.

  

• What type of wind turbines will be installed at the wind farm?

  Vattenfall and Siemens Gamesa are joining forces to deploy the SGRE Direct Drive turbine in the North Sea, which can reach a capacity of 11MW under specific site conditions.

• How much green energy will the wind farm produce?

  The wind farm produces an amount of clean energy equivalent to the consumption of over 1.5 million Dutch households.

• What is the power output of the wind farm?

  This is the maximum output of a wind farm that Vattenfall can make use of in normal conditions. This wind farm produces a maximum of approximately 1.500 MW.

• When did construction of the wind farm begin?

  Pre studies on for example the seabed were already performed in 2019. In 2020 an UXO (unexploded ordnance) campaign is ongoing to further explore any possible explosive objects on the seabed. The actual installation of offshore assets started in 2021.

• Who built the Hollandse Kust Zuid Wind Farm?

  Energy company Vattenfall. Read more about Vattenfall and wind energy here.

• Can the wind farm be seen from the coast?

  Whether or not you can see the wind farm depends on a number of factors. These factors include the weather conditions, the time of day and the season. Generally speaking, in clear weather conditions, the Hollandse Kust Zuid Wind Farm can be seen from the coast.

• What is the operating life of the wind farm?

  The Hollandse Kust Zuid Wind Farm will operate for 25-30 years. In order to ensure that the wind farm operates for the longest possible time, we carry out regular maintenance. When the wind farm needs to be dismantled in the future, we will comply with all the regulations and measures that are laid down in the license.