The Princess Elisabeth Zone relaunch is further delayed. What does this mean for Belgium’s offshore wind pipeline?
Belgium's Princess Elisabeth Zone (PEZ) is set to be the country's largest offshore wind expansion with 3.5 GW across three lots, with the first 700 MW auction (Lot1) announced to be relaunched by end of Q1 2026, when the original auction was cancelled in the summer of 2025.
That time frame has now passed.
What will be the key milestones determining auction timing?
🔹 Pending onshore grid connection permit
The 380 kV onshore grid connection required for Lot 1 has not yet received its permit. A decision is expected by end of April 2026, but even if approved, the 2029/30 commissioning timeline could be ambitious.
🔹 Regulatory unclarity
The compensation for delays is not yet clearly defined and there is unclarity on firm capacity.
🔹 Timing for further auctions unclear
Meanwhile, Lot 2 and 3 (1,400 MW each) remain undecided, with their onshore grid connection even further down the permitting stage and for Lot 3 the pausing on the HVDC part of the Princess Elisabeth energy island makes that one at a limbo.
Aegir Insights has published a new report examining the key milestones shaping the PEZ timeline and Belgium's broader offshore wind pipeline.
Interested in discussing the outlook for Belgium’s offshore wind market?
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