Parkwind roots stretch back as far as 1990 when the Colruyt Group launched the Greenline ecology program which included the reduction of energy consumption amongst other sustainability initiatives. This eventually evolved into the vision to become energy auto-sufficient resulting in the first wind turbine being installed at the Dassenveld DC in 1997.
The green energy ambitions didn’t stop there. As the first offshore wind farm projects demonstrated that the technology is ready and when Belgium leaped forward to create the now completed ‘offshore development zone’, the Colruyt Group was determined to take the leap of faith and pursue their sustainability vision with offshore wind. Having created Eoly, the onshore wind entity, offshore was the natural yet bold next step. This was uncharted territory.
In 2004, as part of a consortium called “Eldepasco”, the Colruyt Group and partners applied for the Northwind concession, which was awarded in 2006 and eventually completed in 2013. Eldepasco was named after its four initiators: Electrawinds, DEPret, ASpiravi and Colruyt. Each of these project partners were already active in the renewable energy sector.
The opportunity to accelerate the offshore ambition came in 2009 when the Colruyt Group agreed to step into the already developed Belwind project. Completed in 2010, it became the first offshore wind energy milestone creating the momentum that led to the founding of Parkwind in 2012. Today we stand behind four Belgian wind farms as well as numerous international projects such as Arcadis Ost I (DE) and Oriel (IRL).
Discover our timeline below.
The Belgian federal government designates an offshore wind energy development zone as a first major step towards its renewable energy goals becoming one of Europe's leading nations in offshore wind. In 2004, as part of a consortium called “Eldepasco”, the Colruyt Group and partners applied for the Northwind concession.
The Northwind concession is awarded to Colruyt Group and partners and the project is constructed in 2013.
The Colruyt Group, Korys and PMV take over the lead of the financially troubled Belwind project (one of the several concessions created in 2004). The wind farm construction starts the same year putting numerous engineering and installation techniques to the test for the first time.
The first Belwind turbines go online.
The Colruyt Group, Korys and PMV create Parkwind N.V. grouping all the offshore wind energy activities of the three shareholders.
Northwind is completed and starts supplying the Belgian grid with green energy.
Parkwind's 3rd wind farm Nobelwind (initially a section of the Belwind concession) starts production. This same year Parkwind entered Ireland with Oriel and started to develop Northwester 2, our fourth Belgian project.
The Colruyt Group, Parkwind and Fluxys create a venture called Hyoffwind with the intent to further explore the potential of industrial scale green hydrogen generation. The same year, Parkwind wins the competitive tender process in Germany for its Arcadis Ost 1 windfarm.
Parkwind enters agreement with ESB to jointly develop the Oriel and Clogherhead projects. Arcadis Ost 1 announces a revolutionary floating installation method.
The same year Parkwind becomes 100% owned by Virya Energy whose shareholders are the Colruyt Group and Korys. Other renewable energy holdings from Virya include Eurowatt and Eoly Energy.
Northwester 2 is completed. It is equipped with the world's most powerful commercially available 9,5 MW turbines at the time and is completed on time during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Parkwind continues to pursue its global expansion by entering projects in Asia, Norway and Scotland.
Arcadis Ost 1 reaches financial close.
JERA becomes Parkwind’s shareholder, strengthening Parkwind's international offshore development portfolio.
Parkwind reaches 1GW of installed capacity with Arcadis Ost 1.