Thor Wind Farm, set to become the biggest offshore wind project in Denmark to date, has now received its power production licence from the Danish Energy Agency. As stated in a press release by the Danish Energy Agency, the news marks an important step in rolling out wind energy in Denmark and contributes to strengthening the EU’s energy independence.

Located 22 kilometres off the west coast of Jutland, near the town of Thorsminde, the Thor Wind Farm will consist of 72 offshore wind turbines. Once fully operational, the farm will have a total capacity of 1 GW – enough to supply green electricity to around one million Danish households.

The wind farm is being developed and operated by RWE, in partnership with Norway’s Investment Bank, and has now been granted a 30-year licence to produce electricity. With this approval, the project is cleared to gradually connect turbines to the grid as they are completed, with the full farm expected to be online by the end of 2027.

Read the case: Thor: Advancing circularity in offshore wind

“Thor Wind Farm is a significant contribution to the green transition. It will be Denmark’s largest offshore wind farm and represents an important step both in strengthening Europe’s energy independence and in ensuring sufficient green power for a society that is becoming increasingly electrified.” Stig Uffe Pedersen, Acting Director General of the Danish Energy Agency.

Boosting energy independence in Europe

Beyond contributing to Denmark’s national climate goals, the Thor project is also expected to strengthen Europe’s energy independence. The EU is increasingly focused on securing reliable sources of clean energy, and large-scale projects like Thor are essential to delivering on that ambition.

According to the Danish Energy Agency’s latest analysis, electricity demand in Denmark is expected to rise sharply in the coming years – driven by the growth of data centres and the electrification of heating and transport. Projects like Thor are being rolled out to meet this growing demand with green solutions.

A step up for Danish offshore wind

Today, Denmark has 17 established offshore wind farms with a total capacity of around 2.7 GW. Once Thor is operational, the country’s offshore wind capacity will increase to nearly 3.7 GW – a notable expansion of Denmark’s renewable energy portfolio.

Thor Wind Farm was awarded through a state tender in December 2021. As part of the agreement, the Danish state is expected to receive up to DKK 2.8 billion in payments over time, as the wind farm produces electricity.