News and updates

News and updates relating to OSF, artificial islands, IJVER, hydrogen, interconnection, ecology, etc.

4 March 2021

International online seminar on multipurpose artificial islands, April 7 & 8 2021 - Preliminary program

Offshore Service Facilities is happy to share the preliminary program of the online seminar on 7 and 8 April 2021. Make sure to enroll via this link to find out everything you need to know about multipurpose artificial energy islands! 

22 February 2021

International online seminar on multipurpose artificial islands, April 7 & 8 2021

Artificial islands in wind energy areas in the North Sea can serve as hubs for the transport of offshore wind energy by means of electrons or hydrogen. Islands will host electrical and power-to-gas installations and can also function as a base for operation & maintenance activities and other marine activities, such as providing marine safety, food pre-processing (sea weed) and high energy demanding activities such as datacentres. A Dutch consortium intends to develop a concept pilot island and likes to share and gather ideas and information by means of this seminar. 

Multipurpose islands. 

Offshore wind energy will play a major role in a future CO₂-free energy supply system. With the growing capacity of offshore wind energy the integration of energy from the North Sea into the entire energy system becomes a challenge. Artificial islands may contribute to the solution. In the Innovation Agenda (IKIA), which is linked to the Climate Agreement and the Ministry Economic Affairs and Climate, 'energy' islands in the North Sea are considered for the period after 2030. When new wind farm area’s will be selected, the preparation of the energy infrastructure should follow suit. Islands are also discussed in other North Sea-countries such as Belgium, Denmark, the UK and Germany. TenneT, as a central player, considers hubs for the future offshore electricity infrastructure and has initiated many studies together with the North Sea Wind Power Hub consortium. Multipurpose islands can bring interesting social and economic benefits and opportunities for the export of (Dutch) expertise. This is also concluded in studies of a consortium consisting of Offshore Service Facilities (OSF), engineering and consultancy firm Royal HaskoningDHV, Van Oord, Boskalis and knowledge institutes Marin, Deltares and TNO. 

International online conference on multifunctional islands 

On April 7 and 8, 2021, an international two-days conference on multifunctional islands in the North Sea for participants from Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK is planned through a top-notch online conference. We expect at least 150 online participants for two interactive, collaborative days of networking, information-sharing, and fun in a professional setting. 

The goal is to paint a clear picture of the challenges ahead, the possible role of artificial islands, the possible benefits and opportunities for other applications, as well as the challenges in planning, timing, ecology, ownership and interference of the various potential users and future possibilities for floating or hybrid islands. Result could be a clear agenda of the development steps and R&D that are necessary for the development of a concept of a demonstration/pilot project and to benefit from the opportunities and to possibly accelerate the development. 

The virtual conference organizers wish to create an overview of the ideas, possibilities and impossibilities of those islands and to exchange knowledge and insights with parties involved. The results of the conference will be published and shared with the participants. 

Program outline (in English).

Further details on this online seminar will follow shortly.

15 May 2019

Erik Oostwegel, CEO Royal HaskoningDHV, advocates OSF initiative

On 15 May 2019 Erik Oostwegel, the CEO of Royal HaskoningDHV, made a case in Dutch journal Cobouw for the initiative of Offshore Service Facilities (OSF) to develop a multipurpose energy island in Dutch wind farm area IJmuiden-Ver, approximately 80 kilometres from the shore.

Oostwegel considers the OSF island a crucial test case and pilot for future islands, which will play a crucial role in the further development of offshore wind. Such islands will be needed to unlock the full potential of the North Sea. Energy Islands will be used as a location for the electrical infrastructure of Dutch TSO TenneT to connect the electricity to shore but have additional potential as they can be used to facilitate other energy related activities. For example the production of green hydrogen, interconnection with neighbouring countries, commissioning and maintenance of the surrounding wind farms, accommodation of the vastly increasing amount of offshore personnel, as well as research facilities for knowledge institutes and NGO’s to improve our understanding of the effects of the energy transition on marine life.

This is a great opportunity to develop a, relatively small, first energy island in the North Sea to gain valuable knowledge for future islands to be built. Case in point is the North Sea Wind Power Hub initiative of TenneT NL, TenneT DE, Gasunie, Port of Rotterdam and Energinet for a large island at the Doggersbank. The energy island of OSF can be realized within the proposed timelines of the Dutch roadmap offshore wind 2030, but it is important to start now! 

Please find the article here (in Dutch)

5 April 2019

Update to the Dutch offshore wind roadmap 2030

On 5 April 2019 the Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate has given an update with regard to the Dutch offshore wind roadmap 2030 to the house of representatives. With regard to IJVER the Minister states that an island, with the sole purpose of supporting TenneT electrical infrastructure, is 10 - 15 % cheaper than the solution of placing the HVDC stations on jackets. However, the minister states it is not prudent to develop an artificial island due foreseen risk with regard to timely completion and therefore proposes to use the jacket solution for IJVER.

OSF proposes to further investigate the possibility of a multifunctional (as opposed to a monofunctional) island at its own expense to prove that a unique opportunity lays in front of us and to make sure a profound decision is made. To further mitigate the risk of timely completion OSF proposes that the first 2 GW at IJVER south will be connected by a HVDC converter on jackets and the second 2 GW with the support of a multifunctional island, therefore extending the date of completion from 2027 to 2029.

Download (in Dutch): Update Routekaart windenergie op zee (pdf)

20 March 2019

Subsidy allocation IJVERGAS

On 20 March 2019 the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) has allocated a subsidy to OSF and its partners for IJVERGAS. In IJVERGAS is a feasibility study on hydrogen and CCS possibilities on a multifunctional island at IJmuiden Ver. The study will be executed by OSF, TNO, Stichting New Energy Coalition, CE Delft, Intecsea and Stichting Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen.

17 January 2019

Roundtable session Economic Affairs and Climate Policy committee:

On 17 January 2019 a roundtable session of the Economic Affairs and Climate Policy committee took place to discuss the law amendment of the offshore wind act. The session was divided into four main topics: 1. Interest groups 2. Utilities 3. Knowledge institutes 4. IJmuiden Ver. Please find the convocation here (pdf)

During the session OSF presented the multifunctional island concept for IJmuiden Ver, explaining the concept, advocating why this is a unique opportunity that needs to be grasped now and requesting the government to support the initiative.

Download the OSF position paper (in Dutch):  Position paper OSF Roundtable session 17 Jan 2019. Please note: this position paper does not include later developments in which OSF tries to further mitigate the concerns of timely completion by creating the island for the second 2 GW at IJVER.

17 December 2018

Subsidy allocation IJVERTECH exploratory study

On 17 December 2018 the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) has allocated a "verkennede studie" subsidy to OSF and its partners for IJVERTECH. IJVERTECH is a exploratory study in which OSF, Deltares, Marin, Royal HaskoningDHV, Van Oord and Boskalis investigate the technical aspects of an artificial island at the offshore wind location IJmuiden Ver. 

17 October 2018

Technical hydrogen workshop artificial island IJVER

On 17 October 2018 OSF organized a technical hydrogen workshop with the aim to identify design options and technical bandwiths for the development and permitting of hydrogen on an artificial island as well as determining next steps to further specify the possibilities regarding hydrogen production, transportation and storage. Parties attending and contributing to the workshop where TNO, Stichting New Energy Coalition, CE Delft, Intecsea, Stichting Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen and Offshore Service Facilities.

Download (in Dutch): Memo technical hydrogen workshop 17 October 2018 (pdf)

3 September 2018

Technical workshop artificial island IJVER

On 3 September 2018 OSF organized a technical workshop with the aim to identify design options and technical bandwiths for the development and permitting of an artificial island as well as determining next steps to further specify the technical design. Parties attending and contributing to the workshop where Deltares, Marin, Royal HaskoningDHV, Van Oord, Boskalis and Offshore Service Facilities.

Download (in Dutch): Memo technical workshop 3 September 2018 (pdf)

27 March 2018

Dutch offshore wind roadmap 2030

On 27 March 2018 the Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate has informed the house of representatives on the Dutch offshore wind roadmap 2030. The roadmap is a result of the ambition and need to use offshore wind to realize an additional CO2 reduction of four megaton and focusses on the period from 2024 to 2030. This means that by 2030 a total of 11.5 gigawat (GW) of offshore wind should be installed. The roadmap assigns 6.1 GW of offshore wind areas on top of the already ~1 GW installed capacity and the 3.5 GW up untill 2023. The remaining 0,9 GW will be assigned at a later stage. 

For IJmuiden Ver (IJVER) approximately 4 GW has been assigned and it will be the first Dutch offshore wind farm being connected by a Direct Current (DC) connection. The minister has requested TenneT, the Dutch TSO, to investigate if it would be beneficial to develop a relatively small artificial island to support the HVDC stations as an alternative to the more standard solution in which the HCDV stations are placed on jackets.  

Download (in Dutch): Routekaart windenergie op zee 2030 (pdf)