German offshore wind industry demands increase of expansion targets

German offshore wind power capacity has almost reached existing legal limits and the industry has called for an increase of expansion targets. In a press release, the country’s offshore wind associations say that “in order to maintain Germany’s technological leadership as a wind industry location” and to reach 2030 climate targets, expansion caps have to be raised and special tenders launched before the end of 2019. The 6.5 gigawatt (GW) capacity target from Germany’s Renewable Energy Act (EEG) was reached in the first half of 2019, and a separate limit for the maximum assignable overall grid connection capacity of 7.7 GW is expected to be reached before the year is out. The government has set a target of 15 GW by 2030, the wind industry is calling for an increase of the 2030 target to at least 20 GW installed offshore capacity.

Offshore wind is a pillar of the German energy transition. A total of 1,351 offshore wind turbines with a combined capacity of 6,658 MW are currently connected to the grid in Germany, with 42 new turbines added in the first half of 2019, according to a separate factsheet. Offshore wind power production increased 30 percent in the first half of 2019, compared to the same period last year.