Glossary beginning with O

In 2017, offshore wind parks accounted for about 3 percent of Germany’s power production. By mid-2016, 3.6 GW of offshore wind capacity was connected to the German grid, with a further 324 megawatts of capacity installed off the German coast, but yet to be connected to the grid. A further 3.8 GW of capacity was either under construction or in the planning stages. Unlike other renewable energy sources in Germany, most of which are owned by citizens, cooperatives, and smaller operators, offshore wind, which requires high investment, is largely owned by major energy companies (see → The Big Four).

Land-based wind turbines contributed more (nearly 14 percent) to Germany’s overall power production in 2017 than any other renewable energy source. Germany has 50.9 GW of onshore wind capacity (end-2017). Schleswig-Holstein, in the northeast of the country, has more than double the onshore wind power capacity of any other state. Close to 150,000 people are employed in the German wind power sector.