
Germany sets stable path for 40 GW offshore wind energy expansion by 2034
Germany’s Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) has published the fourth regional development plan for the expansion of offshore wind energy in Germany. This plan establishes a stable expansion trajectory of 40 GW by 2034 to contribute to climate protection.
These projections create a reliable foundation for the investments and long-term decisions required for the successful expansion of offshore wind energy.
The development plan defines additional offshore wind areas with a total production capacity of 40 GW. The offshore wind farms will be connected via 18 grid connections with a total route length of approximately 2,221 kilometers in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
With the site development plan, BSH defines areas and sites in the EEZ of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea where offshore wind farms will be built in the future. It also defines how and when these areas should be auctioned and how the wind farms should be connected to the onshore grid.
The plan includes technical standards and planning principles for the connection lines and wind turbines.
As part of a comprehensive Strategic Environmental Assessment, potential impacts of the plan on the marine environment will be identified, described, and evaluated.
Other authorities and the public had the opportunity to participate in the process through submissions and public hearings. This feedback has been incorporated into the specifications. The site development plan is periodically updated.
Additional Areas in the North Sea
According to BSH, in collaboration with authorities from Denmark and the Netherlands, more areas in the German North Sea have been identified for offshore wind use.
The site development plan also provides an informative presentation of offshore areas farther from the coast. This includes an innovative proposal for better use of grid connections and more efficient use of space.
Dr. Nico Nolte, head of the responsible department at BSH, stated, “For the areas farther from the coast, we would like to stimulate a discussion on how the future expansion of wind energy will be designed. In the new plan, we are already implementing the proposed optimization approach for two areas, which will allow us to save on grid connection costs.”
BSH plans to begin the next update procedure with the publication of a preliminary draft this year. The definition of acceleration zones and infrastructure zones will be revisited, depending on the implementation of the EU Renewable Energy Directive into German legislation.
BSH President Helge Heegewaldt assures, “We have reached an important milestone with our expansion strategy to 40 GW by 2034. Furthermore, we have secured the essential space to reach the 70 GW expansion target by 2045.”
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