Directly connecting offshore wind farms in Danish and Swedish waters to Germany’s electricity grid could reduce overall system costs by several billion euros while increasing power generation, according to a new study commissioned by German industry groups.
The analysis by the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems, carried out for offshore wind association BWO and power utilities group BDEW, compares Germany’s current nationally focused offshore expansion strategy with cross-border planning across neighbouring exclusive economic zones.
It finds that electricity yields could rise by as much as 13% if offshore capacity built in Denmark and Sweden were counted towards Germany’s legally binding 70-gigawatt offshore wind target for 2045 and connected directly to the German grid.
The study models scenarios in which up to 20 GW of offshore wind is developed in Danish and Swedish waters but transmitted to Germany via radial grid connections.
By easing turbine density in Germany’s own exclusive economic zone, the approach reduces wake losses between wind farms and raises full-load hours across the wider North Sea and Baltic Sea region, the groups said.
Higher utilisation rates translate into up to an 11% reduction in levelised costs per megawatt hour, including grid connection expenses, while also improving security of supply, according to the analysis.
“The expansion of offshore wind energy is a key pillar of energy supply in Germany and Europe,” said Hans Sohn, head of policy and communications at BWO.
He added that the study shows Germany’s offshore target can be achieved “much more cost-effectively” through closer regional cooperation.
“Offshore wind farms in Denmark and Sweden that are directly connected to the German electricity grid increase yields, reduce system costs, and make the electricity system more robust,” Sohn said.
The broader geographic spread of generation would also provide additional power during periods of weaker wind conditions in Germany.
Sohn said Germany’s coalition government has already signalled support for the approach, adding that stronger cooperation with neighbouring coastal states and the development of production-optimised areas were “exactly the right direction.”
