North Holland Urges Govt to Clarify OW Procedures

Dutch province of North Holland said that the government is not giving its best to provide insight into the various procedures for wind farms.

Currently, it is not made clear for residents and businesses when the government decides something, said Provincial Executive for Economic Affairs, Jaap Bond.

According to the province, it is important that the construction of offshore wind farms, with their support bases at sea and on the coast, does not happen within the 12-mile zone and that the coastal municipalities and their tourism entrepreneurs should be adequately involved.

At this moment there are several procedures to enable wind farms in the North Sea.

The National Structural Vision of Wind Energy at Sea (Rijksstructuurvisie Windenergie op Zee), which would allow the installation of wind turbines within the 12-mile zone, is still under examination and the final decision has not been taken yet. Meanwhile, the government is already considering the erection of wind turbines within the 12-mile zone in another document (Notie Reikwijdte en Detailniveau Kavel besluiten Windparken Hollandse Kust).

The province is concerned that the parallel running of both procedures is detrimental to the involvement and participation of the residents, and considers it socially irresponsible. It urged the government to adopt a clear plan and to offer insight into the coherence of the various procedures and decisions.