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Construction Commences on Germany’s Massive He Dreiht Offshore Wind Farm

Construction has officially started on one of Germany’s largest offshore wind farms, the 960 MW He Dreiht site. This ambitious project is being developed in the North Sea by the German energy utility giant EnBW, backed by private investors and notably, without any state subsidies.

Heerema Marine Contractor’s semi-submersible crane vessel (SSCV) Thialf has kicked off the installation process by planting the first foundations into the seabed. Each monopile is a massive 70 meters in length, 9.2 meters in diameter, and weighs around 1,350 metric tons. This foundational work is anticipated to stretch into the summer months.

The He Dreiht project will feature the latest generation of Vestas V236-15 turbines, each delivering an impressive 15 MW of power. This marks their debut in a commercial setting, making this project a significant milestone for renewable energy technology.

The wind farm is scheduled to be operational by 2025. To ensure efficient power transmission, the Dutch-German grid operator TenneT will connect the farm to the grid using an offshore converter station and two high-voltage DC export cables. These cables will span 75 miles underwater and 68 miles on land, forming a robust network for energy transfer.

What sets the He Dreiht project apart is its financial model. Despite the lack of state funding, it focuses on securing long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with major industrial players. EnBW has already inked several significant PPAs: Bosch is set to purchase 50 MW, Frankfurt Airport’s operator (Fraport) has committed to 85 MW, and Evonik has agreed to buy 150 MW.

“After seven years of intensive planning, we are delighted that we are now able to start construction work. The expansion of offshore wind energy is an important part of our ongoing strategy to considerably increase our installed renewable capacity from 5.7 GW to 11.5 GW by 2030,” said EnBW board member Peter Heydecker.

EnBW’s commitment to the energy transition is further highlighted by CEO Georg Stamatelopoulos, who stated that the company is investing over $43 billion in the energy transition by 2030. A significant portion, around $14 billion, will be allocated to constructing wind farms and solar parks, with Germany receiving the lion’s share of this investment.

The He Dreiht project is a testament to the potential of large-scale renewable energy projects to proceed successfully even without government subsidies. By securing substantial PPAs with leading industrial companies, EnBW is ensuring the project’s financial stability and contributing to Germany’s renewable energy goals. The project’s innovative approach and significant investment underline the growing importance and feasibility of renewable energy sources in meeting future energy needs.

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