The first wind turbine on the EnBW He Dreiht offshore wind farm generated its first kilowatt-hour of electricity yesterday evening and fed it into the grid, marking a significant milestone for Germany's largest offshore wind farm to date. The project utilizes Vestas' 15 MW wind turbines, representing the first use of this technology.

Project Scale and Development Progress

EnBW He Dreiht offshore wind farm has a total output of 960 megawatts and can generate enough electricity to meet the needs of around 1.1 million households. The company has built 27 of the 64 wind turbines so far, with all turbines set to be commissioned by summer 2026. Additional turbines will gradually begin producing electricity over the coming weeks.

The wind farm is being constructed approximately 85 kilometers northwest of Borkum and 110 kilometers west of Heligoland without state funding. The major project is being coordinated by EnBW's offshore office in Hamburg, with around 2.4 billion euros being invested in the development.

Advanced Turbine Technology and Performance

The 15 MW turbine represents a world first in terms of technology, setting new standards in offshore wind power, according to Nils de Baar, President of Vestas Northern and Central Europe. The turbine's efficiency and performance enable a significant increase in energy yield per turbine compared to previous installations.

A single rotation of the rotor on the 15 MW wind turbine generates enough electricity to supply the equivalent of four households for a day. The turbine operates at a hub height of 142 meters, with a rotor diameter of 236 meters that sweeps through an area of 43,742 square meters per revolution - equivalent to the area of six football fields.

This represents a substantial advancement from earlier EnBW projects, as the turbines installed on the EnBW Baltic 1 wind farm in 2010 had an output of 2.3 megawatts.

Infrastructure and Grid Connection

EnBW completed the internal wind farm cabling that connects all the EnBW He Dreiht wind turbines in August. The wind farm's internal cabling has been connected to the converter platform, which is managed by the transmission system operator TenneT. At this platform, the generated electricity will be concentrated and converted from alternating current into direct current before being brought ashore using two high-voltage DC cables.

Company Leadership and Strategic Context

Peter Heydecker, EnBW Board Member for Sustainable Generation Infrastructure, described the first kilowatt-hour produced by the He Dreiht offshore wind farm as a significant milestone for the company. He noted that EnBW has been planning, building and operating offshore wind farms in Germany and Europe for over 15 years, playing a key role in helping to meet Germany's climate change mitigation targets.

The wind turbine manufacturer Vestas emphasized that wind energy can lower power prices, strengthen energy security, and bolster economic prosperity. The company expressed satisfaction in using their groundbreaking technology for the first time in collaboration with partner EnBW.

Ownership Structure and Corporate Information

A partner consortium comprising Allianz Capital Partners, AIP, and Norges Bank Investment Management owns 49.9 percent of He Dreiht's shares, with EnBW maintaining a majority stake in the project.

EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG employs approximately 30,000 people and ranks among the largest energy supply companies in Germany and Europe. The company provides energy to some 5.5 million customers and serves all stages of the value chain, from generation and trading to grid operations and the sale of electricity, heat, and gas.

As part of its transformation from a traditional energy provider to a sustainable infrastructure group, EnBW has made the expansion of renewable energy sources and distribution and transportation grids for electricity and gas, including hydrogen, a cornerstone of its growth strategy. The company plans to invest up to 50 billion euros by 2030, with around 85 percent of this investment targeted for Germany.

EnBW aims to achieve a generation portfolio consisting of around 80 percent renewable energies by 2030. The company has set a target to complete the phase-out of coal by the end of 2028, provided that the framework conditions allow it, as key milestones toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2035.

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