10-GW milestone ‘a strong signal to German politicians and a clear mandate’

Bundesverband Windenergie Offshore (BWO) managing director Stefan Thimm said the milestone was reached with the recent commissioning of wind turbines on EnBW’s He Dreiht and Ørsted’s Riffgrund 3 offshore windfarms.

“The fact that we have achieved 10 GW of offshore wind capacity is a strong signal to politicians and the industry about what we can achieve together,” Mr Thimm said.

“Offshore wind has long been a mainstay of energy system in Germany, and will become even more important in future.”

He noted that by 2050, around 300 GW of offshore wind capacity will have been installed in the North Sea. “This will make the North Sea one of the largest green energy hubs in the world,” said Mr Thimm, “and Germany and the German offshore wind industry will play their part.”

However, he noted that, in order for this expansion to succeed, a clear framework is essential, one that provides a reliable path for expansion of offshore wind capacity, the rapid expansion of the grid and of port capacity, and above all, stable conditions for ongoing investment. 

The BWO and other organisations in Germany have long been lobbying for the introduction of an auction design based on the use of two-sided Contracts for Difference. Towards the end of 2025, the German Government indicated its willingness to move towards a more supportive framework, and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy confirmed a shift to CfDs for offshore wind auctions. However, concerns remain about how quickly the new framework will be introduced and about related measures – such as enhanced grid capacity – designed to speed up deployment of offshore wind capacity.

“The 10 GW mark is important and, at the same time, it is a clear mandate to consistently pursue the course towards a climate-neutral energy system,” Mr Thimm concluded.