Netherlands Shifts Course on Offshore Wind Tenders – Terms Set for 2 GW IJmuiden Ver Gamma-A and Gamma-B
Amsterdam – The Netherlands is pressing ahead with its offshore wind expansion and responding to recent tender rounds that attracted no bids. The new tender terms for the two 1 GW offshore wind farms IJmuiden Ver Gamma-A and Gamma-B have now been finalized. With a dual tender design, the government is for the first time combining a subsidy-free, market-based auction with a state-backed Contract for Difference (CfD) auction, with the aim of making investment conditions more predictable once again.
New Award Model Combines Two Auction Procedures
The tenders for IJmuiden Ver Gamma-A and Gamma-B provide for two distinct auction procedures. Project developers may submit bids for either a subsidy-free, market-based auction or a state-backed CfD auction. The market auction takes precedence, as the Dutch government's primary objective is to enable project realization without public subsidy.
In the market auction, the bidder submitting the highest one-time payment wins the contract. In the CfD procedure, applicants propose their own strike price, subject to a maximum of 11.6 cents/kWh, with the contract awarded to the applicant offering the lowest strike price.
Under the two-sided CfD model, the state covers the difference when the market price falls below the agreed strike price; conversely, if the market price exceeds it, the operator must repay the difference. A floor of 3.7 cents/kWh limits the state's downside exposure, while a ceiling of 13.4 cents/kWh caps the maximum difference repayment to the strike price for the project developer. The CfD runs for 15 years. As security, project developers must provide a bank guarantee of €100 million.
Supply Chains and Sustainability Become Part of the Tender
The tender conditions include extensive requirements covering supply chains, cybersecurity, and the circular economy. At least 75 percent of the wind turbines may not originate from China, and key components such as drive systems and generators may not be sourced from China.
Furthermore, no more than 85 percent of the permanent magnets across all turbines may originate from a single third country. Operational control over the installation must remain throughout the entire operating period with a company headquartered in the European Economic Area. In addition, complete digital bills of materials must be submitted for all hardware, software, and firmware components.
On the circular economy side, the tender stipulates that at least 70 percent of the weight of the rotor blades must be recyclable.
IJmuiden Ver Offshore Wind Zone as a Central Expansion Area in the North Sea
The IJmuiden Ver offshore wind zone in the North Sea comprises four planned sites: Alpha, Beta, Gamma-A, and Gamma-B, with the zone intended to reach a combined capacity of approximately 6 GW. The tender processes for the Alpha and Beta sites have already been completed.
With Gamma-A and Gamma-B, the Dutch government is continuing the allocation of this strategically important offshore wind zone. The final tender terms for the two 1 GW sites were established in June 2026. Tendering for both projects opens on 26 November 2026 and closes on 10 December 2026. Award decisions are expected in the first quarter of 2027, with commissioning of the wind farms foreseen for 2032.
About the Offshore Wind Market in the Netherlands and the Dutch Roadmap
The Netherlands ranks among the world's leading offshore wind markets, placing fourth globally in installed offshore wind capacity behind China, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The expansion of offshore wind is intended to help reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports and support the country's climate targets.
The Dutch government is pursuing a long-term expansion pathway through its Offshore Wind Energy Roadmap (Routekaart Windenergie op Zee). The original target of 21 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 has been pushed back to 2032, with the updated plan envisaging approximately 23 GW by that date. Between 30 and 40 GW are targeted by 2040, with the government's long-term ambition set at approximately 70 GW by 2050.
According to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), installed offshore wind capacity in the Netherlands stood at approximately 4.8 GW at the end of 2025. Delivering on these ambitious targets will depend significantly on whether projects can be realized economically under the revised framework conditions. The new tender design — combining a market auction with a CfD auction — is intended to restore a greater degree of investment certainty.
Source: IWR Online, Jun 06 2026