1.8 GW of offshore wind capacity awarded in the German North Sea

On 10 August 2023, the German Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) announced the results of the offshore tender for centrally pre-investigated areas. Bids could be submitted until 1 August 2023. The tender covered four areas in the North Sea with a total capacity of 1,800 MW, which were pre-surveyed by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH). All areas are located near existing wind farms in the North Sea. The two areas numbered “N-3.5” and “N-3.6”, with a combined planned generating capacity of 900 MW, are located approximately 35 km north of the island of Norderney; the other two areas numbered “N-6.6” and “N-6.7”, also with a combined planned generating capacity of 900 MW, are located approximately 90 km northwest of Borkum. Commissioning of the wind farms on these sites is scheduled for 2028.

For the first time, in the case of several zero-cent bids, the decision was not made by lot, but on the basis of a points system. Evaluation criteria of the tender for centrally pre-investigated areas, which was reformed with the Wind Energy At Sea Act 2023 (WindSeeG), are the amount of the bid value, the contribution to decarbonization, the extent of the delivery of energy generated on the area, the sound impact and sealing of the seabed by the foundation structure, and the contribution to securing skilled labor.

Nordseecluster B GmbH was awarded sites N-3.5 and N-3.6, while RWE Renewables Offshore HoldCo Four GmbH was awarded site N-6.6. The bidder Vattenfall Nordlicht II Offshore Wind GmbH has a right of entry for N-6.6. Site N-6.7 – without any entry right – went to Waterkant Energy GmbH.

The press release of the Federal Network Agency is available at this link (in German): https://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Allgemeines/Presse/Pressemitteilungen/2023/20230810_OffshoreErgebnisse.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=3

The results for non-centrally pre-investigated areas were published by the Federal Network Agency in July 2023 and generated a total revenue of €12.6 billion. (see in German: https://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/DE/Beschlusskammern/BK06/BK6_72_Offshore/Ausschr_nicht_zentral_vorunters_Flaechen/Bekanntgabe12062023.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=4)