Germany has potential to reach 8 GW of offshore wind power by 2020 - report

Oct 7, 2013 - Germany's offshore wind power capacity can reach 8 GW by 2020 with the offshore projects to get underway in 2015, according to Nico Nolte, head of department at the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), cited by Hamburger Abendblatt yesterday.

By comparison, Germany had some 210 MW of offshore wind power connected to the grid by the end of 2012, according to data of German Wind Energy Association.

BSH has approved 33 wind park projects so far, 30 of which are to be implemented in the North Sea. According to Nolte, all the pre-conditions are in pace for the second expansion round in the North Sea between 2015 an 2017 with up to seven offshore projects.

The companies have to be willing to invest in further development of offshore wind power and a legal framework ensuring the expansion is required, Nolte said.

German government plans to achieve 10 GW of offshore wind installations by 2020. So far 150 wind facilities have been installed in the German North and Baltic sea, 120 of which are operational and connected to the grid.

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