News about Thor
The latest news about the Thor tendering process is posted in this section. Relevant reports mentioned in the news in this section will be posted under their dedicated theme below.
In Danish:
Thor Wind Farm I/S har vundet udbuddet af Thor Havvindmøllepark. Det er første gang, der gennemføres et udbud af havvind i Danmark uden støtte. Vinderen forventes inden for få år at betale 2,8 mia. kr. til staten, i takt med, at der produceres strøm
01-12-2021
Klima-, Energi- og Forsyningsministeriet har i dag orienteret energiforligskredsen om, at Thor Wind Farm I/S, hvis interessenter er RWE AG, RWE Renewables GmbH, RWE Renewables Management UK Limited, har vundet udbuddet af Danmarks hidtil største havmøllepark, Thor Havvindmøllepark. Flere bydere tilbød at bygge havmølleparken med den størst mulige kapacitet og til minimumsprisen på kun 0,01 øre/kWh. Udbuddet er derfor i overensstemmelse med udbudsbetingelserne blevet afgjort ved lodtrækning i dag.
”Med udbuddet af Thor Havmøllepark skriver vi endnu en milepæl ind i dansk havvindhistorie. For første gang nogensinde skal der betales penge til staten for tilladelse til at etablere havvind. Den skarpe pris i udbuddet bliver kun mere imponerende af, at opstilleren for første gang også selv skal betale for ilandføringsforbindelsen. Det lover rigtigt godt for kommende udbud af havvind og for den grønne omstilling”, siger direktør i Energistyrelsen Kristoffer Böttzauw.
Lodtrækningen fandt sted tidligere i dag og blev overværet af en uafhængig revisor og af Kammeradvokaten for at sikre, at lodtrækningen overholdt de udbudsretlige vilkår. Derudover deltog de bydere, som der blev trukket lod imellem, for at sikre fuld transparens.
Energistyrelsen forventer snarligt at indkalde koncessionsvinder til et møde for at drøfte den fremadrettede proces. Energistyrelsen forventer at underskrive koncessionsaftalen med Thor Wind Farm I/S indenfor 4-6 uger.
In English:
Thor Wind Farm I/S has won the concession to build Thor Offshore Wind Farm. This is the first time a tendering procedure has been completed for offshore wind energy in Denmark without aid. When power is produced, the winner is expected to pay DKK 2.8 bn. to the Danish state within just a few years
01-12-2021
Today, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities briefed the parties to the Energy Agreement that Thor Wind Farm I/S, where stakeholders are RWE AG, RWE Renewables GmbH, RWE Renewables Management UK Limited, has won the concession to build Denmark's hitherto largest offshore wind farm: Thor Offshore Wind Farm. Several bidders offered to build the offshore wind farm with the largest possible capacity and at a minimum price of only 0.01 øre/kWh. Therefore, in accordance with the tender conditions, the tendering procedure was decided by a drawing of lots today.
“The tendering for Thor Offshore Wind Farm is yet another milestone in the history of Danish offshore wind power. For the first time ever, the state must be paid for authorization to establish an offshore wind farm. The competitive price in the tender is even more impressive because, for the first time, the winner bidder will also have to pay for the landing cables and grid connection. This is very promising for future tendering procedures for offshore wind energy and for the green transition,” said the director general of the Danish Energy Agency, Kristoffer Böttzauw.
The draw took place earlier today and was monitored by an independent auditor and the Danish State’s legal advisor to ensure that the draw complied with public procurement terms. Moreover, the bidders for which lots were drawn also took part to ensure full transparency.
The Danish Energy Agency expects to invite the winner of the concession to a meeting very soon to discuss the future process. The Danish Energy Agency expects to sign the concession agreement with Thor Wind Farm I/S within 4-6 weeks.
In Danish:
Energistyrelsen inviterer et antal bydere på Thor Havvindmøllepark til lodtrækning, da mere end én byder har tilbudt minimumsprisen på 0,01 øre/kWh og størst parkkapacitet
25-11-2021
Mere end én byder har tilbudt at bygge Thor Havvindmøllepark med en kapacitet på 1.000 MW til minimumsprisen på 0,01 øre/kWh, og udbuddet bliver derfor i overensstemmelse med udbudsbetingelserne afgjort ved en lodtrækning. Lodtrækningen finder sted d. 1. december 2021 kl. 11.00 i Energistyrelsen. De involverede bydere inviteres med til lodtrækningen for at sikre fuld transparens omkring processen. Det er kun muligt for de inviterede bydere at deltage i lodtrækningen, og der er således ikke adgang for pressen.
Lodtrækningen overværes af en uafhængig revisor og af Kammeradvokaten for at sikre, at lodtrækningen overholder de udbudsretlige vilkår.
Når lodtrækningen er gennemført d. 1. december, vil budvinderen blive offentliggjort ved meddelelse direkte til samtlige tilbudsgivere samt med en pressemeddelelse fra Klima-, Energi- og Forsyningsministeriet og Energistyrelsen samme dag.
In English:
The Danish Energy Agency invites a number of bidders to draw lots to identify the winner for Thor Offshore Wind Farm, as more than one bidder has offered the minimum price of 0,01 øre/kWh and largest wind farm capacity
25-11-2021
More than one bidder has offered to build Thor Offshore Wind Farm with a capacity of 1,000 MW at the minimum price of 0,01 øre/kWh, and the tender will therefore, in accordance with the tender conditions, be decided by drawing lots. The drawing of lots will take place on 1 December 2021 at 11 AM at the Danish Energy Agency. The involved bidders are invited to participate in the lottery process in order to ensure full transparency. It is only possible for the invited bidders to participate in the process, and there is thus no access for the press.
The lottery process will be supervised by an independent auditor and the States’ legal advisor, Kammeradvokaten, in order to ensure that the lottery process is living up to the procurement rules.
Once the lottery process has been carried out on 1 December 2021, the bid winner will be announced by a press release from the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utility and the Danish Energy Agency. This announcement
In Danish:
Energistyrelsen har i dag offentliggjort de endelige udbudsbetingelser for udbuddet af Danmarks hidtil største havmøllepark, Thor Havvindmøllepark. Med offentliggørelsen indledes sidste fase i udbudsprocessen, som afsluttes med endelig budfrist d. 8. november 2021 for de seks bydere.
24-06-2021
Energistyrelsen har i dag offentliggjort de endelige udbudsbetingelser for Thor Havvindmøllepark. Med offentliggørelsen er alle de grundlæggende elementer i udbuddet på plads, og byderne har nu fire måneder til at udarbejde deres endelig bud på parken.
Tidligere på året blev udbudsbetingelserne for Thor statsstøttegodkendt af Europa Kommissionen, og i maj blev planen for Thor miljømæssigt godkendt på baggrund af en Strategisk Miljøvurdering (SMV). I den sidste fase af udbuddet har Energistyrelsen, i tråd med tidligere danske havvindmølleudbud, gennemført en forhandlingsfase, som har givet mulighed at justere udbuddet med sigte på at bringe budprisen på parken yderligere ned. Samtidig har Energistyrelsen sørget for, at relevante lovændringer for Thor træder i kraft 1. juli, 2021.
In English:
The Danish Energy Agency is now publishing the final tender conditions for Denmark's largest offshore wind farm, Thor Offshore Wind Farm. With this announcement the last phase of the tender process begins, and this phase ends with a final bid deadline November 8. 2021 for the six bidders.
24-06-2021
The Danish Energy Agency has today published the final tender conditions for the tendering of Thor offshore wind farm. With the publication all the basic elements of the tender are in place, and the bidders now have four months to prepare their final bid for the offshore wind farm.
Earlier this year, state aid for Thor Offshore Wind Farm was approved by the European Commission, and in May, the plan for Thorwas environmentally approved on the basis of a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). As part of the tendering process, the Danish Energy Agency, in line with previous Danish offshore wind tenders, has carried out a negotiation phase, which has provided for adjustments in the tender conditions with the aim to reduce the bid price for the offshore wind farm. At the same time, the Danish Energy Agency has ensured that relevant statutory executive orders for Thor will enter into force on 1 July, 2021.
In Danish:
Energistyrelsen godkender Planen for Thor Havvindmøllepark med tilhørende miljørapport
30-05-2021
Energistyrelsen vurderer på baggrund af den strategiske miljøvurdering (SMV) af Planen for Thor og de indkomne høringssvar, at Planen for Thor kan realiseres i det udpegede område ud for Thorsminde uden væsentlige påvirkninger af miljøet. Energistyrelsen har samtidig indsnævret området for opstilling af parken fra 440 km2 til 286 km2.
In English:
The Danish Energy Agency approves the Plan for Thor Offshore Wind Farm with associated Strategic Environmental Assessment report and publishes the site-boundaries
30-05-2021
Based on the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the Plan for Thor Offshore Wind Farm and the public consultation, the Danish Energy Agency concludes that the Plan for Thor can be realized in the dedicated site west of Thorsminde, and without significant impacts to the environment. At the same time, the Danish Energy Agency has narrowed down the site for the wind farm from 440 km2 to 286 km2 as a result of the site-investigations.
The Environmental Protection Agency launches 8-week public consultation concerning the report on environmental impact assessment (EIA) and §25 licence (EIA-permit) for the land-based project for Thor Offshore Wind Farm
28-04-2021
The EPA has launched the second hearing concerning the report on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the EPA’s draft EIA-permit for the land-based project for Thor Offshore Wind Farm. The public hearing concerns authorities, stakeholders and the wider public, and runs from 26 April – 21 June 2021.
In Danish:
Miljøstyrelsen igangsætter 8-ugers høring over bygherrers miljøkonsekvensrapport og Miljøstyrelsens udkast til §25-tilladelse for landanlægget for Thor Havvindmøllepark
Miljøstyrelsen har igangsat 2. offentlighedsfase, hvor bygherres miljøkonsekvensrapport og Miljøstyrelsens udkast til §25-tilladelse efter miljøvurderingsloven sendes i høring hos myndigheder, parter og offentligheden i perioden 26. april - 21. juni 2021.
The Danish Energy Agency launches an 8-week public consultation concerning the Plan for Thor Offshore Wind Farm and the related environmental assessment (SEA) of the Plan
01-02-2021
In English:
The DEA launches an 8-week hearing concerning the Plan for Thor and results of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the plan for Thor Offshore Wind Farm. The public hearing, which is a public consultation over the environmental report containing the strategic environmental assessments, runs from 1st February to 12 noon 29th March 2021. As part of the hearing, approximately 5,000 local landowners, relevant organizations and local authorities have received a letter concerning the hearing. Find relevant hearing material, information on how to submit inputs to the hearing, etc.
For the land-based project, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been carried out in parallel to the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the plan for Thor. The results of this EIA will be published in Spring 2021 with the Environmental Protection Agency being the responsible authority. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the offshore-based part of the project will take place in the period 2022-24, when the winner of the tender for establishing Thor Offshore Wind Farm has been appointed.
In Danish:
Energistyrelsen igangsætter en 8-ugers høring over planen for Thor Havvindmøllepark samt resultaterne af den strategiske miljøvurdering (SMV) af planen
Energistyrelsen igangsætter en 8-ugers høring over planen for Thor Havvindmøllepark samt resultaterne af den strategiske miljøvurdering (SMV) af planen. Høringen, som er en høring over den såkaldte miljørapport med de strategiske miljøvurderinger, løber fra 1. februar til 29. marts 2021. I forbindelse med høringen vil ca. 5.000 lokale borgere, de lokale kommuner og relevante interessenter modtage et brev i eboks om høringen.
Find al relevant høringsmateriale samt information om, hvordan man deltager i høringen mv.
Miljøkonsekvensvurderingen (VVM) for landanlægget til Thor gennemføres samtidig med den strategiske miljøvurdering, og resultaterne fra denne offentliggøres i foråret 2021 med Miljøstyrelsen som ansvarlig myndighed. Miljøkonsekvensvurderingen (VVM) af det konkrete projekt på havet vil blive gennemført i perioden 2022-24, når vinderen af udbuddet for Thor Havvindmøllepark er udpeget.
Great interest in building the Danish Thor Offshore Wind Farm
14-01-2021
In English:
The Danish Energy Agency has pre-qualified a total of six consortia and companies to participate in the tender for Denmark's to date largest offshore wind farm, Thor Offshore Wind Farm with a capacity of minimum 800-1000 MW. Thor will be located in the North Sea at a distance of a minimum 20 km from the store. By 1 December 2020, the Danish Energy Agency received a total of six applications from a broad field of consortia and companies wishing to bid for the task of building the Thor Offshore Wind Farm. All six consortia and companies meet the established criteria for financial and technical capacity, and the agency has pre-qualified all six of them.
The selected applicants are the following (in alphabetical order):
- SSE Renewables Offshore Windfarm Holdings Limited and Thor OFW K/S (owned by Copenhagen Infrastructure IV Thor OFW ApS and Andel Holding A/S) on behalf of a not yet established subsidiary
- Swan Wind P/S (ultimately owned by Eneco Wind B.V. and European Energy A/S)
- Thor Wind Farm I/S (owned by RWE Wind Holding A/S and RWE Offshore Wind A/S)
- Total Renewables S.A.S and Iberdrola Renovables Internacional S.A.U on behalf of a not yet established entity
- Vattenfall Vindkraft A/S on behalf of a not yet established entity
- Ørsted Wind Power A/S
The Danish Energy Agency will complete the tender during 2021. The decision on the winner of the tender is expected to be announced at the end of 2021.
In Danish:
Stor interesse for at bygge den kommende Thor Havvindmøllepark
Energistyrelsen har prækvalificeret i alt seks konsortier og selskaber til at deltage i udbuddet af Danmarks hidtil største havmøllepark, Thor Havvindmøllepark på minimum 800-1000 MW. Thor skal ligge i Nordsøen minimum 20 fra kysten ud fra Thorsminde. Energistyrelsen modtog senest 1. december 2020 i alt seks ansøgninger fra et bredt felt af konsortier og selskaber, som ønsker at byde på opgaven med at bygge Thor Havvindmøllepark. Alle seks konsortier og selskaber lever op til de fastsatte kriterier for finansiel og teknisk kapacitet, og styrelsen har prækvalificeret dem alle.
De prækvalificerede tilbudsgivere er (i alfabetisk orden):
- SSE Renewables Offshore Windfarm Holdings Limited og Thor OFW K/S (ejet af Copenhagen Infrastructure IV Thor OFW ApS og Andel Holding A/S), som har ansøgt på vegne af et endnu ikke etableret selskab
- Swan Wind P/S (ultimativt ejet af Eneco Wind B.V. og European Energy A/S)
- Thor Wind Farm I/S (interessenterne i selskabet er RWE Wind Holding A/S, RWE Renewables Denmark A/S og RWE Offshore Wind A/S)
- Total Renewables S.A.S og Iberdrola Renovables Internacional S.A.U på vegne af et endnu ikke etableret datterselskab
- Vattenfall Vindkraft A/S på vegne af et endnu ikke etableret partnerselskab.
- Ørsted Wind Power A/S
Energistyrelsen gennemfører udbuddet i løbet af 2021. Frist for endelig udbud forventes at være 8. november 2021.
The Danish Energy Agency publishes contract notice and full tender conditions for Thor Offshore Wind Farm. Pre-qualification process begins.
25-09-2020
In English:
The Danish Energy Agency has today published the contract notice together with the complete tender conditions for the tender for Thor Offshore Wind Farm. The contract notice is published at the EU´s platform for public procurement, Tenders Electronic Daily (TED) and is a binding contract notice. The contract notice officially launches the tender process and the pre-qualification process for Thor.
The tender model for Thor follows the same process as in previous Danish offshore wind tenders, which means is has a pre-qualification phase followed by a negotiation phase. The published tender material contains the tender conditions as well as a pre-qualification document, a draft concession agreement and all necessary licenses, etc. Together with the ongoing preliminary investigations of the area for the wind farm, all this should make it easier for the tenderer to provide a cost-effective bid for the offshore wind farm.
Deadline for application for prequalification is 1 December 2020, and potential bidders will in the period from 1 October to 16 November 2020 be able to ask written questions (Q&A) to the Danish Energy Agency about the tender. The Danish Energy Agency has decided not to hold a public meeting about the tender conditions, as otherwise stated in the Prior Information Notice of 31 March 2020, since the formal, written Q&A-process is considered more appropriate.
The final deadline for the tender is expected to be 8 November 2021. The time table and process is described in more detail in the complete tender material. Almost all material is presented in both English and Danish.
In Danish:
Energistyrelsen offentliggør udbudsbekendtgørelse og udbudsbetingelserne for Thor Havvindmøllepark. Herved startes prækvalificeringsprocessen.
Energistyrelsen har i dag offentliggjort udbudsbekendtgørelse og udbudsbetingelserne for Thor Havvindmøllepark. Udbudsbekendtgørelsen er offentliggjort på EU´s elektroniske udbudsplatform, Tender Electronic Daily (TED), og er bindende. Med offentliggørelsen af udbudsmaterialet kick-startes udbudsproces og prækvalifikationsproces for Thor Havvindmøllepark.
Udbudsmodellen for Thor følger den samme proces som i tidligere danske havvindmølleudbud, som i første omgang indeholder en prækvalificeringsfase efterfulgt af en forhandlingsfase. Det offentliggjorte udbudsmateriale indeholder udbudsbetingelser, krav til prækvalifikation, udkast til koncessionsaftale samt udkast til nødvendige tilladelser og bevilling mv. Sammen med de igangværende forundersøgelser af området for parken, skal det gøre det lettere for byderne at give et omkostningseffektivt bud på havvindmølleparken.
Ansøgningsfrist for prækvalifikation er 1. december 2020, og potentielle bydende vil i perioden 1. oktober til 16. november 2020 kunne stille skriftlige spørgsmål (Q&A) til Energistyrelsen om udbuddet. Energistyrelsen har besluttet alligevel ikke at afholde et offentligt møde om udbudsbetingelserne, som det ellers fremgik af i forhåndsmeddelelsen af 31. marts 2020. Dette skyldes at en skriftlige Q&A-proces anses for mere hensigtsmæssig til at håndtere en sådan dialog.
Frist for endelig udbud forventes at være 8. november 2021. Den samlede tidsplan og proces er beskrevet mere detaljeret i udbudsmaterialet. Hovedparten af materialet foreligger på både engelsk og dansk.
The Danish Energy Agency and Energinet provides access to data from the preliminary investigations of the site for Thor Offshore Wind Farm
13-08-2020
As part of the preliminary investigations for the site for Thor Offshore Wind Farm, Energinet is conducting preliminary geotechnical, geophysical and biological surveys as well as collecting MetOcean data, etc., in accordance with the discussions had with potential bidders and experts at the 13 May 2019 “technical dialogue on site-investigations for Thor”. Moreover, environmental assessments are being carried out, including a Strategic Environmental Assessment and a number of additional surveys. The Danish Energy Agency and Energinet are now providing access to the first results and data from these investigations. The information in the reports and data is primarily aimed at potential bidders, but the environmental reports are also relevant for stakeholders in relation to the environmental assessments process. Parts of the results and data can be downloaded directly from the Thor website. However, some data can only be accessed through following a procedure described at the Thor website, all of which can found here. Data becomes available from August 2020 and until April 2021, where the last data will be uploaded. An overview of all the results and data to be collected, and approximate times for when these are available, can be found at the website, and this overview in table format will also be part of the tender conditions.
In Danish:
Som en del af forundersøgelserne af området for Thor Havvindmøllepark gennemfører Energinet geotekniske, geofysiske og biologiske undersøgelser, samt indsamler MetOcean data, i tråd med hvad der blev aftalt med potentielle bydere og eksperter i forbindelse med 13 maj 2019 technical dialogue on site-investigations for Thor”. Derudover gennemføres der miljøundersøgelser, herunder en Strategisk Miljøvurdering (SMV) og en række supplerende undersøgelser. Energistyrelsen og Energinet offentliggør nu de første resultater og data fra disse undersøgelser. Informationen i rapporterne er primært rettet mod potentielle bydere, men miljørapporter er også relevante for interessenter i relation til miljøvurderingsprocessen. Dele af resultaterne og data kan tilgås direkte gennem Thor-hjemmesiden. Andre data kan dog kun tilgås ved at følge den procedure beskrevet på Thor-hjemmesiden her. Resultater og data gøres tilgængelige fra august 2020 og frem til april 2021, hvor de sidste data offentliggøres. En oversigt over alle resultater og data der indsamles findes, samt forventede datoer for hvornår de er klar fremgår af hjemmesiden, og denne oversigt på tabel-form vil også være en del af udbudsbetingelserne for Thor-udbuddet.
The Danish Energy Agency publishes answers to questions raised in relation to the Prior Information Notice of 31 March 2020.
02-06-2020
In English:
The Q&A report provides answers to questions raised concerning the Prior Information Notice (PIN) published by the Danish Energy Agency on 31 March 2020. As is the case for the PIN, any answers provided in this Q&A report are non-binding. It will be the tender material and the Contract Notice to be published in Q3 2020, which will provide the binding conditions for the tendering of Thor Offshore Wind Farm. The Q&A-report can be found here.
På dansk:
Energistyrelsen offentliggør svar på spørgsmål rejst i forbindelse med forhåndsmeddelelse offentliggjort 31. marts 2020
Den offentliggjorte “spørgsmål-svar-rapport” giver svar på en række spørgsmål stillet i forbindelse med den forhåndsmeddelelse, som Energistyrelsen offentliggjorde 31. marts 2020. Forhåndsmeddelelsen er en forløber for den egentlige udbudsbekendtgørelse for udbuddet af Thor Havvindmøllepark, som forventes offentliggjort i 3. kvartal 2020. Som det er et tilfældet med forhåndsmeddelelsen er svarene afgivet i spørgsmål-svar-rapporten ikke bindende, idet det vil være den endelige udbudsbekendtgørelse, som vil indeholde de bindende konditioner for udbuddet af Thor Havvindmøllepark. Spørgsmål-svar-rapporten kan findes her.
The Danish Energy Agency and the Environmental Protection Agency launches a 5-week public hearing concerning environmental assessments related to Thor Offshore Wind Farm
24-04-2020
The DEA and the EPA launches a 5-week hearing concerning the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the plan for Thor Offshore Wind Farm as well as the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the land-based part of the project, which is to be built by Energinet, the Danish TSO. The public hearing, which is an early public consultation in the scoping phase, runs from 24th April to 12 noon 29th May 2020. As part of the hearing, approximately 5,600 local landowners and relevant organizations have received a letter concerning the hearing. All relevant hearing material, information on how to submit inputs to the hearing, etc. is available. Find the material (in Danish). The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the offshore-based part of the project will take place in the period 2022-24, when the winner of the tender for establishing Thor Offshore Wind Farm has been appointed. The DEA is the responsible authority for the SEA of the plan for Thor Offshore Wind Farm while the EPA is the responsible authority for the EIA of the land-based project.
The Danish Energy Agency publishes notice on Thor-tender on EU Tenders Electronic Daily (TED)
31-03-2020
The Danish Energy Agency has today published a so-called prior information notice on EU´s platform for public procurement, Tenders Electronic Daily (TED). The purpose of this notice is to inform the market as widely as possible about the forthcoming tendering of Thor Offshore Wind Farm.
The notice is non-binding, and is primarily an opportunity for market players to make adequate preparations for the forthcoming tendering process. The notice will be followed by a binding contract notice, which officially will launch the tendering process and pre-qualification process. The publication of the contract notice together with the complete tender conditions is planned for Q3 2020.
The prior information notice informs about a range of important details such as the size and nature of the project, contract value, geographical location, subsidy scheme, pre-qualification criteria, etc. These details play an important role for who will be able to bid for Thor, and who wish to participate in bidding for Thor. In case some bidders wish to, or see it necessary to, form consortia or use certain suppliers, one of the main aims of the prior information notice is for them to start the building of such necessary consortia.
Together with the prior information notice, a set of supporting documents are published on the tendering process, participation in the tender, the subsidy scheme and award criteria as well as an overview of all available background material on the tender.
The prior information notice and supporting documents for the tender
Q&A concerning the prior information notice open until 24 April 2020
It is possible to raise written questions to the prior information notice for a limited period of time until 24 April 2020 by sending any questions to thor@ens.dk. Questions and answers will be published ongoing on the Thor website.
New timing of the grid connection for Thor offshore wind farm
13-03-2020
As outlined in the Energy Agreement of 2018, Thor shall be grid connected in the period 2024-2027.
As part of the market dialogue held on Thor, a majority of market players made it clear that they would not be able to grid connect Thor until Q1 2025, thus emphasizing that the planned grid connection for Q2 2024 would be needless. In order to optimize the possibilities for cost savings, it has been decided to provide the Danish TSO, Energinet, with the flexibility to adjust the grid connection to Q1 2025, should this be the most advantageous considering the need for connecting land based renewable production capacity to the grid (see also related news on selecting northern landfall for Thor the grid connection).
The adjustment of the grid connection does not change the overall plans for Thor, which is scheduled to be fully commissioned by the end of 2027.
Thor and any Danish CO2-reductions will not be delayed, and the adjustments to the time-table is purely a direct consequence of the market dialogue. The market dialogue had a primary objective of ensuring that the tender conditions provide the lowest possible bid prices and thus the lowest possible cost for the green transition of the Danish economy. Adjustments based on input from the market dialogue has been an explicit principle in the political negotiations about the tender, and is a central element of the Danish model for offshore wind, which has proved its worth in this situation.
Northern landfall selected for Thor grid connection
13-03-2020
Energinet and the Danish Energy Agency has decided that the export cables from Thor Offshore Wind Farm will have its landfall at Tuskær north of Nissum Fjord. Accordingly, the possibility for a landfall south of Nissum Fjord has been cancelled.
This decision is primarily based on considerable cost savings to be realized by grid connecting north of Nissum Fjord, where the planned nearshore substation can serve both the Thor grid connection and up to 400 MW PV-solar installations planned in the area. Thus, the substation will serve 1.400 MW installed renewable energy.
In addition to this, the preliminary environmental site-investigations has proved that there are certain environmental advantages for using the northern landfall. Fewer landowners and neighbors will be affected. There will be fewer archaeological occurrences. The need for crossing streams will be smaller, and shorter stretches with forest etc. will be affected. Finally, a parcel has been identified in the north, where the view to the substation will be limited, while a substation located in the south would cause more disturbance in terms of the landscape and proximity to neighbors.
The Danish Energy Agency publishes answers raised in the market dialogue on Thor Offshore Wind Farm
07-02-2020
To follow up on the market dialogue on Thor Offshore Wind Farm held in November 2019, the Danish Energy Agency now publishes answers to questions raised as part of the dialogue on the tender procedures.
The published questions and answers clarify a range of issues in the tender, hereunder about the time-table, the process for environmental assessments, the subsidy scheme, the capacity for the wind farm, the grid connection, prequalification, etc.:
Q&A report on Thor market dialogue.
There are some questions, which remains to be answered, and which will be published in the coming period at the Thor-website and through the Thor-newsletter.
Presentations from the Market Dialogue on 25 November 2019 are now available
03-12-2019
The Danish Energy Agency thanks all who participated in the successful market dialogue conference on 25 November 2019. The purposes of the market dialogue conference were to consider the timetable for the tendering process, conditions for prequalification, award criteria and financial terms, process for environmental assessments and issues concerning grid connection.
You are welcome to send questions regarding the Thor Offshore Wind Farm until December 6 2019 at thor@ens.dk.
The questions and answers will be anonymized and made public on ens.dk/thor in January 2020.
The presentations and other material from the market dialogue conference are available in the section “Thor Market Dialogues”
Detailed material for the Market Dialogue on 25 Nov
15-11-2019
The Danish Energy Agency and Energinet publishes detailed material concerning central elements and questions, which will be discussed with the market players at the market dialogue on 25 Nov 2019 in Copenhagen.
Read more about the market dialogue and find the detailed material here:
Press releases
- See also the press release about the dialogue material here
- The political parties has reached an agreement concerning the subsidy scheme for Thor Offshore Wind Farm, which is a first step on the way towards a subsidy free future for offshore wind, read more here (in Danish only)
Program and marketing material for 25 Nov Market Dialogue published
01-11-2019
The Danish Energy Agency and Energinet publishes the program for the Market Dialogue on the Thor Offshore Wind Farm tendering procedure to be held 25 November 2019 in Copenhagen. At the same time, marketing material describing the Thor-project and related timetable and tender process is published.
Read more about the market dialogue
Baseline surveys regarding marine bird distribution at the Thor site
03-10-2019
Study 1: Number and distribution of birds in and around two potential offshore wind farm areas in the Danish North Sea and Kattegat (DCE, 2019)
The Danish Energy Agency requested a total of ten surveys of birds conducted in two areas of interest in the North Sea and in Kattegat, five surveys in each area. The surveys were conducted as aerial line transect surveys from December 2018 until April 2019. This publication reports the findings of the surveys. Relevant bird species for each of the two areas are described, and thematic maps are presented.
Number and distribution of birds – DCE Report 2019
Study 2: Site selection for offshore wind farms in Danish waters Investigations of bird distribution and abundance (DHI, 2019)
In connection with the Danish Energy Agency's screening for new areas for development of offshore wind farms, four gross areas have been identified for the upcoming 800 MW offshore wind farms, consisting of the areas Thor/Ringkøbing (North Sea), Jammerbugt, Hesselø and Krieger’s Flak. As part of the screening, this report provides reviews and analyses of existing knowledge of bird occurrence in the four areas with the aim to strengthen the basis for decision-making for the location of future offshore wind farms. The key species investigated in the four areas are: Ringkøbing/Thor and Jammerbugt: Red-/Black-throated Diver, Common Scoter.
Site selection – Investigation of bird distribution and abundance
New approach for completing environmental assessments for Thor offshore wind farm is being launched
24-09-2019
Invitation to market dialogue on the tendering process and results from Q&A
05-09-2019
Invitation to market dialogue on the tendering process for Thor Offshore wind farm published. Moreover, results from Q&A-process on technical dialogue on site investigations held 13th May 2019 published.
Read invitation to market dialogue in English
Read invitation to market dialogue in Danish
Read results of the dialogue on Thor Site investigations, workshop Q and A