After pressure from industry, Germany postpones 2026 offshore wind auctions

Two offshore wind areas in the North Sea, N-10.1 and N-10.2, were due to be retendered in June 2026, after they failed to secure bids in August 2025, but have now been postponed until 2027. The exact date when they will now be held is to be determined by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency. 

Responding, the German Wind Energy Offshore Association (BWO) said it welcomed the decision, and again called for the government to introduce a new form of auction design based on the use of two-sided Contracts for Difference (CfDs).

BWO head of politics and communication Hans Sohn said, “The BWO has repeatedly spoken out in favour of postponing the auctions and the cabinet has agreed that doing so is the right option.

“Holding another auction for the two areas using the existing auction design would have been very risky. We need a new auction design based on bilateral CfDs with indexation. This will limit risks and enable investment again.”

Mr Sohn said the BWO would also like to see the N-10.1 and N-10.2 areas “optimised” to enhance yields. He said the full-load hours from the sites “is too low with the previous planning” which “robs the technology of its real strength: the very steady production of electricity.”

The decision to postpone the auctions formed part of an amendment by the governing CDU/CSU and SPD coalition to legislation intended to accelerate the availability of green hydrogen and to amend framework conditions.

The N-10.1 and N-10.2 areas are sufficient for 2.5 GW of offshore wind capacity.