The European Commission has given the green light to a EUR 2.04bn state-aid scheme aimed at financing the construction and operation of the first offshore wind park in Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth Zone, located in the North Sea. The approval clears the way for the tender process to be relaunched. “The measure will support the construction and operation of the first offshore wind park in the Princess Elisabeth offshore Zone in the North Sea. The wind park is expected to have a capacity of up to 735 MW and to generate up to 2.6 TWh of renewable electricity per year », said the Commission in its press release.
According to Belgium’s Energy Minister, the tender is expected to be launched shortly, with the Commission’s approval representing the final requirement for its relaunch following the cancellation of the initial procedure in July 2025.
- The original tender for the first site in the Princess Elisabeth Zone, known as PEZ 1, was scrapped in 2025 due to legal, financial and technical uncertainties, notably regarding the support mechanism.
- In July 2026, Belgium adopted a revised tender framework featuring a two-way contract for difference (CfD) and an extension of the maximum construction period from four to five years (KEI, 27/07/2026).
- The support scheme will be in place for 20 years, while the outcome of the competitive tender is expected in the fourth quarter of 2027.
- The tender will also incorporate prequalification requirements stemming from the EU’s Net-Zero Industry Act. These criteria will oblige bidders to diversify their supply chains for wind turbines and key components, with the aim of reducing dependence on imports from outside Europe.
The newly approved scheme supersedes a previous EUR682m support measure, authorised by the European Commission in September 2024 under the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework. However, no aid was awarded under that scheme before the legal deadline of 31 December 2025.
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