Dutch civil service scheme ABP plans to bid for a 4GW wind farm development project in the North Sea as it seeks for investment partners.
The ABP €460bn pension fund said it is looking for experts, investors and other private companies to join Noordzeker, the pension fund’s newly created venture which will be bidding for the IJmuiden Ver wind farm project off the Dutch coast.
Invitation for the IJmuiden Ver wind farm tenders is expected to open by the end of 2023.
“We are now communicating our intention to subscribe to the tender because we are still looking for interested partners. We want to do this together with several other parties,” an ABP spokesperson told IPE Real Asset, adding the pension scheme is currently in “advanced discussions” about participation in the IJmuiden Ver tender with one firm but declined to name the potential partner.
The Dutch government is planning to issue further tenders for a total of 21GW in wind farm capacity on the North Sea “around 2030”, for which the Noordzeker coalition also plans to tender, the spokesperson added.
ABP has already invested around €1.3bn in wind farms but has never been involved in wind farm development.
Energy security
An important reason for ABP’s bet on wind energy is “the recent developments on the energy market,” said ABP president Harmen van Wijnen.
“In the Netherlands, we need more control over our own energy supply. Better energy security will likely lead to more stable and more affordable energy prices for Dutch households. Besides, when developing the wind farms we want to use techniques that take account of marine life and contribute to biodiversity.”
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