Wind power in the Netherlands
Encyclopedia
Wind power
in the Netherlands
has recently been used as a renewable energy source. By December 2009, 1,975 wind turbines were operational in the Netherlands, with an aggregate capacity of 2,221 MW. The Dutch are trying to meet the EU-set target of producing 9% of total electricity from renewable sources by 2010.
Windmills have historically played a major part in the Netherlands
by providing an alternative to water driven mills.
The largest onshore wind farm is located in Eemshaven
in Groningen
, in the north of the Netherlands. This 204 MW wind farm
contains 21 Vestas V90 3MW (known as GroWind) and 47 Enercon E 82 3MW (known as Westereems) wind turbines.
Other large wind farms are located in Delfzijl-zuid
(72 MW), Lelystad
(46 MW), Terneuzen
, (Koegorspolder, 44 MW), and Biddinghuizen (WP Kubbeweg, 34 MW).
Most wind power is produced in the province of Flevoland
.
Remarkably, wind turbines with just 2 blades are sometimes used as in Eemmeerdijk Wind Park
.
was built, consisting of 36 Vestas V90 3MW turbines, totaling 108 MW, sufficient to light 100,000 houses. The project cost $272 million and is cooperatively owned by Royal Dutch Shell
and the Dutch utility company Nuon
. In 2008, a second, somewhat larger offshore wind park was built: the Princess Amalia Wind Farm
, consisting of 60 Vestas V80 2MW turbines totaling 120 MW, sufficient to power 125,000 homes and help the Netherlands cut 225,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide
emissions. The wind park is was developed off the coast of IJmuiden by Econcern
and Eneco Energie
, at a total cost of $522.3 million.
The Dutch government has expressed the aspiration to build 6,000 MW of offshore wind power by 2020, which will have a considerable impact on the Dutch electricity grid, operated by TenneT
. As a first step, the government has determined 65 sites for offshore wind farms in the North Sea
and IJsselmeer
.
Wind power
Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships....
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
has recently been used as a renewable energy source. By December 2009, 1,975 wind turbines were operational in the Netherlands, with an aggregate capacity of 2,221 MW. The Dutch are trying to meet the EU-set target of producing 9% of total electricity from renewable sources by 2010.
Windmills have historically played a major part in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
by providing an alternative to water driven mills.
Onshore Wind Power
In December 2009, a total of 1,879 onshore wind turbines were installed in the Netherlands, compromising a total of 1,993 MW.The largest onshore wind farm is located in Eemshaven
Eemshaven
thumb|right|[[Satellite]] [[image]] of the Ems [[estuary]] showing the location of Eemshaven Eemshaven is a seaport in Groningen, Netherlands....
in Groningen
Groningen (province)
Groningen [] is the northeasternmost province of the Netherlands. In the east it borders the German state of Niedersachsen , in the south Drenthe, in the west Friesland and in the north the Wadden Sea...
, in the north of the Netherlands. This 204 MW wind farm
Wind farm
A wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electric power. A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines, and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles, but the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other...
contains 21 Vestas V90 3MW (known as GroWind) and 47 Enercon E 82 3MW (known as Westereems) wind turbines.
Other large wind farms are located in Delfzijl-zuid
Delfzijl
Delfzijl is a municipality and city in the northeast of the Netherlands. It is situated on the left bank of the river Ems estuary, which forms the border with Germany.-Population centres:...
(72 MW), Lelystad
Lelystad
Lelystad is a municipality and a city in the centre of the Netherlands, and it is the capital of the province of Flevoland. The city, built on reclaimed land, was founded in 1967 and was named after Cornelis Lely, who engineered the Afsluitdijk, making the reclamation possible...
(46 MW), Terneuzen
Terneuzen
Terneuzen is a city and municipality in the southwestern Netherlands, in the province of Zeeland, in the middle of Zeelandic Flanders. With over 55,000 inhabitants, it is the most populous municipality of Zeeland.-Population centres :...
, (Koegorspolder, 44 MW), and Biddinghuizen (WP Kubbeweg, 34 MW).
Most wind power is produced in the province of Flevoland
Flevoland
Flevoland is a province of the Netherlands. Located in the centre of the country, at the location of the former Zuiderzee, the province was established on January 1, 1986; the twelfth province of the country, with Lelystad as its capital...
.
Remarkably, wind turbines with just 2 blades are sometimes used as in Eemmeerdijk Wind Park
Eemmeerdijk Wind Park
Eemmeerdijk Wind Park is a wind park consisting of 19 turbines situated at Zeewolde, Netherlands.It is one of the few windparks using just wind turbines with two blades. It was built in 1998 and uses...
.
Offshore Wind Power
In addition to the wind farms built onshore, two wind farms have been built out in the sea. In 2006, the Egmond aan Zee Offshore Wind FarmOWEZ
Windpark Egmond aan Zee is the first large scale offshore wind farm built off the Dutch North Sea coast. It consists of 36 Vestas V90-3MW wind turbines, each with nameplate capacity of 3 MW. In total the farm has a capacity of 108 MW...
was built, consisting of 36 Vestas V90 3MW turbines, totaling 108 MW, sufficient to light 100,000 houses. The project cost $272 million and is cooperatively owned by Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
and the Dutch utility company Nuon
Nuon (company)
Nuon is a Dutch utility company. It belongs to the group of Vattenfall.Nuon produces, sells and delivers electricity, gas, heat and additional services. The company is active in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany and has more than 2.7 million customers. With over 10,000 employees in 2005 it...
. In 2008, a second, somewhat larger offshore wind park was built: the Princess Amalia Wind Farm
Princess Amalia Wind Farm
The Princess Amalia Wind Farm is an offshore wind farm in the Netherlands. Prior to its official opening, it was known as the Q7 Wind Farm.-Specifications:...
, consisting of 60 Vestas V80 2MW turbines totaling 120 MW, sufficient to power 125,000 homes and help the Netherlands cut 225,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
emissions. The wind park is was developed off the coast of IJmuiden by Econcern
Econcern
Econcern was an international holding company, consisting of five operating companies: Ecofys, Evelop, Ecostream, Ecoventures and OneCarbon. These companies deliver solutions for renewable energy and carbon credits, with a mission to "ensure a sustainable energy supply for everyone"...
and Eneco Energie
Eneco Energie
Eneco, the trading name of Eneco Holding N.V., is one of the largest producers and suppliers of gas, electricity and heat in the Netherlands, serving more than 2 million business and residential customers. Eneco headquarters are located in Rotterdam...
, at a total cost of $522.3 million.
The Dutch government has expressed the aspiration to build 6,000 MW of offshore wind power by 2020, which will have a considerable impact on the Dutch electricity grid, operated by TenneT
TenneT
TenneT B.V. is the national electricity transmission system operator of the Netherlands, headquartered in Arnhem. Controlled and owned by the Dutch government, it is responsible for overseeing the operation of the 380 and 220 kV high-voltage grid throughout the Netherlands and its...
. As a first step, the government has determined 65 sites for offshore wind farms in the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
and IJsselmeer
IJsselmeer
IJsselmeer is a shallow artificial lake of 1100 km² in the central Netherlands bordering the provinces of Flevoland, North Holland and Friesland, with an average depth of 5 to 6 m. The IJsselmeer is the largest lake in Western Europe....
.