AquaVentus has called on Germany to step up investment support for offshore wind by creating clear rules that allow hybrid electricity and hydrogen connections under the planned reform of the Offshore Wind Energy Act (WindSeeG).
The offshore wind and hydrogen industry group said the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy should act quickly to establish a regulatory framework enabling the combined use of pipelines and power cables. Such an approach would help optimise offshore wind generation and lower hydrogen transport costs, it said.
AquaVentus warned that Germany risks falling behind its North Sea neighbours, which already permit hybrid concepts, adding that delays could increase investment requirements for offshore infrastructure and expose the state to compensation claims.
The group said the lack of hybrid options in upcoming revisions of the spatial development plan for zones 4 and 5 in the North Sea could create legal uncertainty and lead to billions of euros in follow-up costs.
It also cautioned that incentives focused solely on electricity generation — such as overplanting and peak-shaving — could result in revenue losses and inefficient use of offshore wind capacity. Offshore electrolysis, by contrast, would offer a more system-friendly solution by adding flexibility and supporting both the power and hydrogen markets, AquaVentus said.
The group cited a study by Frontier Economics estimating annual savings of up to €1.7 billion if offshore electrolysers are integrated, helping to avoid grid bottlenecks, reduce curtailment and limit the need for additional transmission lines.
“Changes to the regulatory framework are urgently needed, as they affect the entire energy sector,” AquaVentus chairman Jörg Singer said.
While offshore wind auctions raised €12.6 billion in 2023 and €3 billion for two sites in 2024, Singer noted that the sector saw its first auction without a single bid at the end of 2025.
“There is a clear understanding that the main cost drivers of renewable energy expansion lie in premature regulatory constraints,” he said. “What matters now is to design the framework in a way that allows cost-efficient, system-friendly solutions and innovation to be realised.”
