Federal Minister for the North Sea, Vincent Van Quickenborne, has announced on Tuesday that he has filed a complaint with the European Commission over France's plans to construct a large offshore wind farm off the coast of Dunkirk, near the Belgian border.
French energy companies EDF Renewables, Enbridge Éolien France, and RWE Renewables, alongside French electricity grid system operator RTE, announced their plans to go ahead with the offshore wind project in May 2021.
The site is set to have up to 46 wind turbines just 10 kilometres off the coast of Dunkirk and 11.4 kilometres from Belgian seaside towns.
A study of the environmental impact of the site is currently being drafted for consideration by French environmental authorities this year. The site is expected to be operational after 2027.
The offshore wind project will have a capacity of up to 600 MW, or enough electricity to cover the annual consumption of nearly one million French citizens.
Unpopular plans
Offshore wind farms are not popular with local residents on Belgium’s coast.
These renewable energy sites are seen as imposing and can obscure coastal views. The port of Ostend has previously complained of the potential disruption of shipping routes between Belgium and the United Kingdom.
A map of North Sea wind farms currently under construction, proposed, or fully operational. The proposed Dunkirk site pictured in purple. Credit: 4CS/TGS
The European Commission has three months to respond to the complaint proposed by Van Quickenborne. The Commission must respond with an official opinion, otherwise, Belgium will be able to escalate its complaint to the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Complaints were first filed against the project by Belgian authorities in July 2021, when Belgian officials brought legal proceedings before an administrative court in Lille.
Despite Belgian anger over the proposals, Van Quickenborne has stressed that Belgium was open to a dialogue with the French government.
“This step is necessary to safeguard our rights,” Van Quickenborne told news agency Belga, “It’s a pity that France does not want to respond to this outstretched hand from the Belgian side.”
Climate neutrality by 2025
Even with opposition to plans for a new French wind farm, Belgium has pushed ahead with its own.
There are currently 8 Belgian offshore wind farms operating in the North Sea. Collectively, they provide for the electricity consumption of around 1.9 million families.
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At the end of 2020, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo officially inaugurated the SeaMade offshore wind farm, a 487 MW offshore site, comprising 58 turbines, situated just 40 kilometres off the coast of the Belgian port of Zeebrugge.
From 2023, Belgian citizens, municipalities, associations, and SMEs will be able to enjoy joint ownership of Belgium's offshore wind turbines, allowing for greater civilian participation in the Belgian energy market.
Offshore wind farms have been identified as a way of helping Belgium reach climate neutrality by 2025.
