RWE has secured two key sites in the German North Sea through the latest offshore wind auction, as announced by the German Federal Network Agency. The sites, N-9.1 and N-9.2 are strategically located 110 - 115 kilometers northwest of the island of Borkum, near the Dutch Exclusive Economic Zone. Each site has a capacity of 2,000 megawatts (MW), contributing a total of 4 gigawatts (GW) to Germany's renewable energy ambitions. RWE will pay a total bid price of €250 million for these two sites.

Partnership with TotalEnergies under consideration

RWE is exploring the possibility of collaborating with TotalEnergies to develop these offshore projects. Sven Utermöhlen, CEO of RWE Offshore Wind, emphasized the significance of this achievement: “Offshore wind is one of the main pillars of Germany's energy transition and RWE's Growing Green strategy. With today's success, we are adding two more large-scale wind farms to our already strong German offshore wind portfolio, and we look forward to realizing the new projects - possibly with TotalEnergies. Our teams are already in the starting blocks.”

Investment decisions and construction timeline

The investment decisions for these projects are expected by 2027 (N-9.1) and 2028 (N-9.2). Subject to obtaining the necessary permits, offshore construction could commence in 2029 and 2030, with full commissioning scheduled for 2031 and 2032, respectively. The projects benefit from a legal right to be connected to the grid, with grid connections planned for 2030 (N-9.1) and 2031 (N-9.2).

Preliminary studies and long-term licences

The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) has conducted preliminary studies for the auctioned areas, gathering essential data on the marine environment, subsoil, wind, and oceanographic conditions. This information will serve as a basis for RWE's further planning of the wind farms. The awarded licences have a 25-year term, with the possibility of extension to 35 years, ensuring long-term operational certainty.

RWE’s expanding offshore wind portfolio

RWE is a leading player in offshore wind energy, already operating 19 offshore wind farms, including six off the German coast. The company is currently constructing four major offshore wind farms: the Sofia offshore wind farm (1.4 GW) in the UK, the Thor offshore project (1.1 GW) in Denmark, the OranjeWind offshore wind farm (795 MW) in the Netherlands (in partnership with TotalEnergies), and the Nordseecluster (1.6 GW) north of the island of Juist in Germany.

RWE's ambition is to triple its global offshore wind capacity from 3.3 GW today to 10 GW by 2030, further solidifying its position as a key player in the renewable energy sector and contributing to the global energy transition.