TotalEnergies said on Tuesday it will focus on developing its German North Sea offshore wind cluster after securing the latest lease auction for the N-9.4 site, located approximately 150 km northwest of the island of Heligoland.
The lease supports 1 gigawatt (GW) of offshore wind capacity and lies near TotalEnergies’ existing N-9.1 and N-9.2 sites, which it jointly owns with RWE. In a statement, the company said it intends to “prioritise the development of this cluster and leverage synergies to optimise construction and operating costs for the benefit of its customers.”
As part of the lease award, TotalEnergies’ North Sea Offshore Wind One GmbH will pay €18 million to the German government in 2026, aimed at marine conservation and promoting environmentally friendly fishing practices. Following commissioning, the developer will also contribute €8.1 million annually over 20 years to the country’s transmission system operator.
However, TotalEnergies noted delays in grid connection timelines announced by German transmission system operators (TSOs), prompting it to “launch a strategic review of the various concessions obtained since 2023, with a view to engaging in dialogue with the German authorities to explore the conditions of their possible developments.”
The move highlights the challenges facing offshore wind developers in Germany as they navigate infrastructure bottlenecks while pursuing ambitious clean energy targets.
