Germany’s installed offshore wind capacity has exceeded the 10GW threshold following the commissioning of additional turbines this month, according to the International Economic Forum for Renewable Energies (IWR).
The milestone was reached after three turbines were brought online at the He Dreiht wind farm and Borkum Riffgrund 3 projects, based on the IWR’s analysis of data from the Federal Network Agency.
The organisation said the continued build-out of offshore wind in German waters is making “an important contribution to the joint development of the North Sea coastal states towards a clean, secure, and future-oriented energy supply in Europe”.
IWR chief executive Norbert Allnoch said the region is undergoing a structural energy shift.
“We are experiencing a turning point in the energy history of Europe. With the first oil production in 1971, the North Sea was the starting point for European oil supply. Later, Brent crude oil became a key reference price,” Allnoch said.
“Since the first electricity production from offshore wind energy in 2002, the focus has fundamentally shifted.
“Today, the North Sea is transforming into a powerhouse for clean energy and is developing into the heart of a climate-friendly, secure, and future-oriented energy supply in Europe.”
The IWR added that planned expansion of North Sea offshore wind capacity to 300GW by 2050 could generate more than 1.1 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
Such output would cover the yearly power demand of several European countries, cut reliance on fossil fuel imports and help position the North Sea as the world’s largest offshore energy hub, the group said.
