The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) has handed over the planning permission for the "Nordlicht II" offshore wind farm to the future operator Vattenfall. The new wind farm will be built 85 kilometres north of the island of Borkum in the German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the North Sea. Vattenfall is planning to erect a total of 44 wind turbines on an area of 44 square kilometres. The project is planned for area N-6.6 in area N-6 in the area development plan and represents another important building block in the expansion of German offshore wind energy. Now that planning permission has been granted, Vattenfall can take the next steps towards the concrete realisation of the project.
Technical details of the systems
The 44 planned offshore wind turbines will each have an output of 15 megawatts, resulting in a calculated total output of 660 megawatts. This capacity can supply around 700,000 households with electricity. The turbines will be erected on monopile foundations at a water depth of 37 to 40 metres. With an impressive rotor diameter of 236 metres, the wind turbines reach a total height of 262.5 metres, measured at sea level. The electricity generated by the turbines will be transported ashore via the "BorWin Delta" converter platform and the NOR-6-3 grid connection system.
Significance for the energy transition
The approval of the "Nordlicht II" offshore wind farm represents another important step in the expansion of German offshore wind energy. BSH President Helge Heegewaldt emphasises the importance of the project: "Wind turbines at sea make Germany less dependent on fossil fuels and make a relevant contribution to climate protection. The current planning approval creates the possibility for the connection of another wind farm with significant capacity. We are thus creating planning security for the investing companies." The "Nordlicht II" wind farm joins a growing number of offshore projects in the German North Sea and Baltic Sea, which together will make a significant contribution to the energy transition.
Schedule and outlook
According to current plans, the "Nordlicht II" wind farm is scheduled to go into operation by the end of 2028. The project is therefore still at an early stage of development. Now that planning permission has been granted, Vattenfall can initiate further planning and preparatory steps. The "Nordlicht II" wind farm is part of a larger development that also includes the "Nordlicht I" wind farm, which is already in the construction preparation phase. While "Nordlicht I" is even larger with 68 turbines and a total output of 1,020 megawatts, "Nordlicht II" also represents a significant contribution to offshore wind energy in Germany with its 660 megawatts.
German offshore wind farms at a glance
The German North Sea is already home to numerous offshore wind farms that are in operation, under construction or at the planning stage. The wind farms already in operation include alpha ventus, BARD Offshore I, Riffgat, Amrumbank West, Borkum Riffgrund 1, Butendiek, DanTysk, Global Tech I, Meerwind Süd/Ost, Nordsee Ost and many more. The He dreiht, Borkum Riffgrund 3 and Nordseecluster A projects are currently under construction. In addition to "Nordlicht II", "Nordlicht I" and Nordseecluster B are also being prepared for construction. Several wind farms are also in operation in the Baltic Sea, including EnBW Baltic 1 and 2, Wikinger, Arkona-Becken Südost, Arcadis Ost 1 and Baltic Eagle. The Windanker wind farm is currently under construction there.
