GREEN NUDE EEL (EUROPEAN EDITION): No bids for Danish offshore wind farms in North Sea tender.

The Danish Energy Agency announced that no bids were submitted for the first three offshore wind farms tendered in the North Sea, with a combined capacity of 3 GW. The bidding deadline for the projects, part of Denmark’s ambitious 6 GW offshore wind expansion plan, expired on December 5, 2024.

Despite initial interest from several companies during the preliminary market dialogue, the absence of bids has prompted Danish Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, Lars Aagaard, to call for further investigation. The Danish Energy Agency has been tasked with engaging the market to uncover the reasons behind the lack of submissions.

The tender, which offers 6 GW of offshore wind capacity with overplanting potential up to 10 GW, features innovative terms, including no subsidies, an annual concession payment, and 20% state co-ownership in each project. Sustainability and social responsibility requirements were also integrated into the tender criteria.

Co-ownership with the state, a heavy regulatory hand, and yet no takers? Maybe the Danes needed to include even stronger sustainability and social responsibility requirements.