RWE has received planning permission from the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) for Nordseecluster B, the second phase of its major offshore wind development in the German North Sea. The approval, granted in late March, allows RWE to proceed with the 900-megawatt expansion that will bring the total Nordseecluster capacity to 1.6 gigawatts.

Project Development Timeline

Nordseecluster B comprises NC 3 and NC 4 components and is scheduled to add 900 MW of capacity beginning in early 2029. Production of some components for the project has already begun, with foundation installation scheduled to start next year. The installation of 60 turbines is planned for 2028, leading to commercial operations commencing in early 2029.

The first phase, Nordseecluster A, is already under construction with a capacity of 660 MW. All foundations for this phase have been installed, and work on setting up the 44 wind turbines is due to begin this summer. Nordseecluster A will be fully connected to the grid by early 2027.

Location and Technical Specifications

The Nordseecluster is being built 46 kilometres north of the German island of Borkum and 50 kilometres north of the German island of Juist. Together, the wind farms in the Nordseecluster will generate around 6.5 terawatt hours of climate-friendly electricity annually.

Tobias Keitel, Chief Technology Officer RWE Offshore Wind, stated: "Now that the BSH has granted approval for Nordseecluster B, we can begin construction at sea next year. Our portfolio already includes six offshore wind farms located off the German coasts. With the Nordseecluster, we are continuing to drive forward the expansion of offshore wind energy. This is a positive development for both the energy transition in Germany and for RWE."

Commercial Partnerships and Ownership

Nordseecluster is a joint offshore wind project between RWE, which holds a 51% stake, and Norges Bank Investment Management, which owns 49%. RWE is responsible for the construction and operation of the Nordseecluster offshore wind farms throughout their entire life cycle.

RWE will use the green electricity generated from the wind farms to support its industrial customers on the path to decarbonisation with customised energy solutions. These customers increasingly include technology companies such as Amazon, with whom RWE recently signed a Power Purchase Agreement for 110 MW from Nordseecluster B.

RWE's Broader Offshore Wind Portfolio

RWE describes itself as one of the world's leading players in the offshore wind sector with more than 20 years of experience in the development, construction, and efficient operation of offshore wind farms. In addition to Nordseecluster, RWE is currently implementing three large offshore wind projects: Sofia in the UK with 1.4 GW capacity, Thor in Denmark together with Norges Bank Investment Management with 1.1 GW capacity, and OranjeWind in the Netherlands together with TotalEnergies with 795 MW capacity.

The company's portfolio already includes six offshore wind farms located off the German coasts. The Nordseecluster project represents RWE's continued expansion in offshore wind energy development, contributing to Germany's energy transition and industrial decarbonisation efforts.

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