The German Wind Association (BWO) has issued a call for tenders for the production of green hydrogen utilizing offshore electrolysers. This move comes following the revision of the German Offshore Wind Energy Act, WindSeeG, in 2022, granting regulatory power to the Climate Ministry over the process.
Despite a January consultation by the department on offshore green hydrogen production, concrete proposals for regulation are yet to materialize. The maritime and hydrographic agency (BSH) proposed the North Sea area, known as SEN-1, for offshore green hydrogen production in January.
BWO is advocating for tenders not only for the proposed SEN-1 area but also for additional areas in line with the national goal of achieving 500MW of green hydrogen annually from 2023 to 2028. The association emphasizes the need for the government to establish transmission fee rates for hydrogen pipelines to expedite the development of offshore electrolysis.
Manuel Battaglia, BWO's Senior Manager of Policy and Regulation, stressed the urgency for regulatory clarity, stating, “No draft regulation currently exists for the auction design for SEN-1 sites, and we are arguing for this auction design to be consulted with the stakeholders as soon as possible so that the tenders can begin in the first half of 2024.”
While SEN-1 is included in the current site development plan, the tenders have been delayed as the ministry is yet to specify the auction design. The industry, represented by BWO, advocates for the division of the proposed 102-square-kilometer site into two or three subareas to enhance actor diversity in the tender process.
