The caretaker Dutch government says it plans to scale back its plans to build wind turbines in the North Sea over the next 15 years, because earlier targets for offshore wind energy are no longer realistic.

Demand for green electricity is increasing more slowly than expected because industry is struggling to move away from fossil fuels, caretaker climate minister Sophie Hermans told MPs in a briefing

Current targets call for 50 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity by 2040, but Hermans now aims for at least 30 GW, with the possibility of expanding to 40 GW if supporting infrastructure is built.

At present, offshore wind farms supply around 4.7 GW, or one-sixth of the Netherlands’ electricity needs. Several additional wind farms are under construction.

The government, Hermans said, will continue laying the necessary undersea cables and offshore connection points to enable future growth, but each step beyond 30 GW will be assessed based on technical, economic and social feasibility.

Hermans said industrial demand for electricity and green hydrogen is not growing as fast as planned. Many factories still rely on gas, coal and oil, and plans to switch to clean energy have been delayed by high prices, grid congestion and international competition.

The decision follows the postponement in May of two wind farm auctions because of a lack of interest. Other countries, including Belgium, Denmark and Britain, have also struggled to attract investors for offshore wind projects.