The Danish Energy Board of Appeal has annulled the establishment permit for Hofor’s Aflandshage offshore wind farm, to be located off the Danish coast.

The permit was issued by Danish Energy Agency in 2022.

Expected to generate 300MW, the wind farm was to be located 10km off the south coast of the country near Copenhagen, and to be powered by 26 wind turbines.

The project was expected to begin operations in 2026 and to generate clean electricity for 300,000 households annually.

Hofor, a Greater Copenhagen-based utility company, is now reviewing the decision with advisers.

Hofor wind and energy trading area manager Jesper Pedersen stated: “We can ascertain that it is, among other things, a changed practice by the authorities regarding the counting of bats which has triggered the rejection in the appeals board.

“We have otherwise had a good, ongoing dialogue about the environmental impact assessment with the authorities, including about the bats. And it is our experience that we have lived up to the demands that have been made of us.

“We will now engage in dialogue with the authorities, our advisers and suppliers about the next step.”

The bats fly through the site of the proposed wind farm as part of their autumn and spring migrations.

Hofor selected Spanish wind turbine maker Siemens Gamesa to supply 26 of its 11MW turbines for the project in April 2023. The developer claimed that the project would help reduce CO₂ emissions by 1 million tonnes annually.

In the same month, Siemens Gamesa selected Denmark’s Cadeler to transport and install the turbines.