Germany selects more North Sea areas for offshore wind

January 28 (Renewables Now) - Germany is forging ahead with the planned expansion of offshore wind capacity and designated three more areas in the North Sea with the potential to add 1.88 GW of turbines.

The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency, BSH, on Thursday approved areas N-3.5, N-3.6 and N-7.2 in the German exclusive economic zone (AWZ ) of the North Sea for offshore wind parks which is a prerequisite for putting the blocks to tender by the Federal Network Agency, the authority said on its website.

The area N-7.2, located 85 km (52.82 mi) northwest of the East Frisian Islands, will be auctioned in 2022 and offers potential for turbines with an output of 980 MW which should be put into operation in 2027.

Located around 40 km north of the East Frisian Islands, the other two blocks have a total area of 120 sq km (46.33 sq mi) which is enough for 900 MW of turbines. The areas will be tendered in 2023 and the wind farms to be built there are scheduled to go online in 2028.

The new German government is seeking to accelerate the installation of wind turbines in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea and targets an offshore wind capacity of at least 30 GW at the end of the decade and more than 70 GW by 2045.