Next Kraftwerke starts marketing wind power from Ecowende’s 760 MW offshore wind farm

Next Kraftwerke acts as Balancing Service Provider (BSP) and Congestion Service Provider for the wind farm, managing system integration and congestion across day-ahead, intraday and balancing energy markets on behalf of Ecowende. Shell Energy Europe Limited is the off-taker for 60 percent of electricity production.

“Ecowende demonstrates how we are successfully integrating renewable energy into the energy system on a large scale and optimally integrating offshore wind into the market,” said Marc Ruehs, CEO of Next Kraftwerke. “We actively trade the farm across various markets, thereby making a measurable contribution to grid stability and the wind farm’s economic performance.”

Balancing energy for a stable power system

The park actively supports grid stability by providing balancing energy, particularly automatic negative frequency reserve (aFRR). This balancing energy service compensates for frequency fluctuations in the power grid by flexibly adjusting the power fed into the grid and balancing out excess electricity. 

One of Europe's most modern wind farms

What sets the Ecowende wind farm apart is not only its scale but its pioneering approach to eco-logical integration. At Ecowende's initiative, Vestas is fitting seven turbines with a single, red-painted blade to test whether the colour contrast reduces bird collision risk during rotation. Other above-water measures include a dedicated bird corridor, wider turbine spacing, elevated na-celles, adaptive curtailment and AI-assisted radar monitoring for birds and bats.

“We are delighted to produce the first green electrons from the Ecowende wind farm. We often talk about milestones along a project’s journey, and Ecowende has many firsts to date, but to see the turbines spinning and to have reached first power safely and successfully, is a great achievement for everyone involved in the project,” says Ekansh Aggarwal, Commissioning Manager, Ecowende. 

Seamless Offshore Grid Connectivity 

The Ecowende wind farm is connected to the Dutch national grid via TenneT’s offshore high-voltage infrastructure. TenneT serves as the developer of the ‘offshore power socket’ and power grid that brings Ecowende’s output ashore, working in close coordination with Ecowende and the relevant ministries and coastal authorities.

With HKW Ecowende, Next Kraftwerke is strengthening the company’s position in the Dutch off-shore market and building on existing experience from the Hollandse Kust Noord project.

About Ecowende

Ecowende is a joint venture of Shell, Eneco and Chubu. The Ecowende wind farm (Hollandse Kust (west) lot VI) will be located about 53 kilometres off the Dutch coast, near IJmuiden. With an operational capacity of approximately 760 MW, Ecowende can make about 3% of the current Dutch electricity demand greener. 

Further information about Ecowende can be found at: www.ecowende.nl/en/ 

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