The Netherlands will include a second 1 GW site in its upcoming offshore wind tender, increasing the 2026 offering to 2 GW.
On 3 April, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy said developers will be able to apply for both IJmuiden Ver Gamma-A and IJmuiden Ver Gamma-B. The two sites will be awarded under a temporary subsidy scheme designed to reduce investment risk and support participation ahead of the planned introduction of a Contract for Difference mechanism from mid-2027.
The earlier plan had been to tender only the 1 GW Gamma-A site in September or early October 2026. Under the revised approach, both sites will be offered together, with the Gamma-A procedure now moved to December.
The Netherlands Enterprise Agency said subsidy decisions and related permits for both projects are expected in the first quarter of 2027. The wind farms are likely to begin generating power from 2032.
For Gamma-B, the maximum subsidy level will be set at EUR 0.103/kWh. This is slightly lower than for Gamma-A due to stronger expected wind conditions at the Gamma-B location.
In a letter to Parliament, Climate and Green Growth Minister Stientje van Veldhoven-van der Meer said the revised timeline also reflects requests from developers for more preparation time, including securing board approvals during the summer holiday period.
Final tender regulations for both sites are due in the second quarter of 2026. While the draft framework for Gamma-B is aligned with Gamma-A, the second site will undergo a six-week online consultation before finalisation.
Both projects will connect to the same offshore grid platform operated by TenneT, with the export cable landing at Maasvlakte. According to the agency, this allows both wind farms to connect immediately after permitting while improving grid efficiency and reducing time and costs compared with a phased connection approach.
