Vestas, Rabobank, and Windpark Zeewolde B.V. have signed contracts for wind turbines and financing for the development of the Windpark Zeewolde wind project in the Netherlands. The project is to be set up at the outskirts of Zeewolde, close to the IJsselmeer, on an area of over 300 square kms.
Windpark Zeewolde B.V. is a collaboration of more than 200 local farmers, residents and entrepreneurs in the Netherlands. It has placed an order with Vestas for 83 wind turbines totalling 322 MW for the Zeewolde wind project. The wind park currently has more than 200 turbines which will be replaced by the new Vestas turbines that will generate almost three times more energy with less than half the number of turbines. The financing of the wind project will be arranged by Rabobank that will provide both the junior debt and a senior debt loan (approximately Euro 500 million) for the construction of the project.
Vestas has developed a customised solution that comprises a mix of turbine variants from the 2 MW and 4 MW platforms and a 20-year active output management service contract. The delivery of the wind turbines is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2021. The entire park will be completed in 2022. Once commissioned, it will be the largest onshore wind farm in the Netherlands and the largest community-owned windfarm in Europe. Once repowered, the Zeewolde wind project will generate electricity for more than 250,000 local households.
