RWE has successfully secured two contracts in the latest German onshore wind auction, marking a significant step in advancing the country's renewable energy transition. The contracts involve the construction and operation of wind farms in North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein, following successful bids to the Federal Network Agency.
Scheduled for commissioning in 2025, the wind farms will feature a total of 10 turbines capable of generating sufficient green electricity to meet the needs of around 42,000 households. RWE Renewables Europe & Australia Chief Executive, Katja Wünschel, expressed delight at the company's role in furthering Germany's energy transition, emphasizing the importance of the new wind farms in achieving sustainable energy goals.
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Wünschel acknowledged the efficiency of the approval process, highlighting the approval of a wind farm within just over a year and underscoring the potential for faster approval procedures to become the norm.
The Aldenhoven wind farm, situated on recultivated areas of the Inden opencast mine in the Düren district, will comprise six turbines with a total output of 34.2MW. This facility is anticipated to supply green electricity to approximately 24,000 households annually after its commissioning in 2025. RWE plans to initiate construction in the first quarter of 2024.
The Lasbek wind farm, located in the Hamburg metropolitan region in the district of Stormarn, Schleswig-Holstein, will involve the replacement of six existing turbines with four more powerful machines. With a commissioning date slated for the winter of 2024/2025, the upgraded wind farm will have a total capacity of 22.8MW, providing green electricity for around 18,000 households.
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The German onshore wind auction witnessed a total of 167 bids submitted, with a bid volume of 1981MW against an advertised quantity of 2087MW, according to the Federal Network Agency. Notably, the contract volume reached 1967MW, reflecting a substantial increase compared to the previous year. The successful bids demonstrated values ranging from 5.88 ct/kWh to the maximum permissible value of 7.35 ct/kWh, with an average bid value of 7.31 ct/kWh.
Federal Network Agency President Klaus Müller expressed hope in achieving the expansion targets, emphasizing the need for a continued trend of a significant increase to meet the country's renewable energy goals.
