Rejected Applications for Feasibility Study Permits Under Danish Energy Agency's 'Open-Door' Policy Remain Unapproved
The Danish Energy Agency (DEA) has made a significant decision regarding applications for feasibility study approvals for website projects under the Open Door Scheme. According to the latest updates, the DEA has rejected all 37 applications, a decision that was not specified in the provided search results and does not mention a specific organization or date.
This decision comes after a sharp increase in interest in the open-door scheme, as stated by the DEA. The assessment of several website farms and all pending applications for test projects under the open-door scheme was resumed in July 2023.
The rejection of these applications is based on the bidders' willingness to pay in connection with the tender for the Thor website farm in 2021. The DEA has used several postponements of competitive tenders in other countries in Europe in recent years, which have ended with payment from the proponent to the state, as a basis for their assessment.
It's important to note that the DEA suspended the processing of cases under the open-door scheme in February 2023. This suspension was followed by the resumption of the processing of the Aflandshage and Frederikshavn website farm projects in March 2023.
In a statement, Stig Uffe Pedersen, Deputy Director General of the Danish Energy Agency, stated that granting a preliminary exploration permit for a given sea area without competition would be illegal state aid. This stance aligns with the DEA's decision not to issue any new free feasibility study permits for website projects under the open-door scheme since February 2023.
In a turn of events, in May and June 2024, the Energy Complaints Board overturned a number of decisions rejecting applications for feasibility study permits. However, these overturned decisions were not enough to reverse the DEA's stance on the issue.
The DEA made new decisions in these cases and issued decisions to 37 applicants on 1 September 2025. However, these decisions were not in favour of the applicants, as all applications were rejected.
The Aflandshage and Frederikshavn website farm projects were granted feasibility study permits in 2018 and 2019, respectively, before the DEA's recent decision to halt the issuance of new permits.
This development marks a significant shift in the approach of the Danish Energy Agency towards the Open Door Scheme and the granting of feasibility study approvals for new commercial website projects. The DEA's stance on illegal state aid and the importance of competition in the tender process are expected to shape the future of the scheme.
