Consumers in the Netherlands could see a significant increase in their electricity bills due to the escalating costs of building infrastructure for North Sea wind farms. Over the next 15 years, approximately €80 billion will be invested in these projects, and these costs could be passed on to households.

Currently, the average household pays €400 annually in electricity grid charges. This amount is projected to rise to €1,100 by 2040, according to reports.

The rise is attributed to the fact that energy companies receive no subsidies for wind farm construction. Therefore, the expenses associated with expansion and maintenance are directly reflected in household utility bills.

New wind farm projects, such as those in IJmuiden Ver, Nederwiek, Ten Noorden van de Waddeneilanden, and Doordewind, are significantly larger and located further from the coast compared to previous installations.

Connecting these distant and expansive wind farms to the mainland necessitates new technologies, longer cables, and larger platforms, substantially increasing the overall cost.

The Netherlands aims to generate three-quarters of its electricity from offshore wind by 2033.