Vattenfall to build Germany’s largest offshore wind farm alone

Swedish group Vattenfall acquires BASF’s stake and initiates a 1,610 MW North Sea wind project on its own, with commissioning expected by 2028.

Partagez:

Vattenfall AB announced on 25 March that it has made the final investment decision for the offshore wind farms Nordlicht 1 and Nordlicht 2, located approximately 85 kilometres north of the German island of Borkum in the North Sea. This marks the beginning of construction of what the Swedish group states will be the largest offshore wind project ever built in Germany.

Installed capacity and commissioning timeline

Nordlicht 1 will reach a capacity exceeding 980 megawatts (MW), while Nordlicht 2 will contribute 630 MW, bringing the total combined capacity of the project to 1,610 MW. Together, the two sites will host 112 turbines. Vattenfall plans to begin installing the first turbines in 2026, pending regulatory approval still awaited for Nordlicht 2. The entire complex is expected to be fully operational by 2028.

BASF’s stake buyback

As part of the project, Vattenfall will acquire the 49% stake in the project previously held by BASF SE since 2024. The German chemical group announced it will no longer co-finance the construction, resulting in a non-cash disposal loss of €300mn to be recorded in its Q1 2025 financial results. Despite this withdrawal, BASF will remain a partner to Vattenfall through a long-term power purchase agreement for offshore-generated electricity to supply its chemical facilities.

Expected output and energy positioning

Once operational, the Nordlicht complex is expected to produce approximately 6 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity per year. This output represents half the average annual production of a nuclear power plant, a technology Germany fully phased out in 2023.

In 2024, the share of renewable energy in BASF’s electricity consumption reached 26%, up from 20% the previous year. The company, headquartered in Ludwigshafen, aims to source more than 60% of its electricity needs from renewables by 2030.

Iberdrola España and Renfe conclude a virtual power purchase agreement for 370 GWh per year for ten years, strengthening the use of renewable energy in Spanish railway transport.
TotalEnergies has been awarded a concession in the North Sea enabling the development of a 1GW offshore wind project, reinforcing its strategic presence in Germany.
With an annual increase of 14%, global offshore wind capacity now reaches 85.2 gigawatts, driven mainly by China, the United Kingdom, and Germany, while another 27.3 gigawatts are currently under construction.
Seabed exploration begins in Jammerland Bay to validate the placement of sixteen turbines and the cable corridor, the first tangible step before construction of the project led by TotalEnergies and European Energy.
RWE and Østermark Entreprenørforretning celebrate advanced construction of the operational building for Denmark's largest offshore wind farm, promising up to 60 permanent local jobs by 2026.
RWE and Amazon Web Services enter a strategic collaboration to supply renewable energy for data centres and accelerate digital capabilities within the global energy sector.
SSE Renewables inaugurated its first wind farm in Southern Europe in Chaintrix-Bierges and Vélye, with eight Siemens Gamesa turbines and an investment exceeding €30mn ($32.3mn).
The Astenn Avel consortium, led by Elicio and Q ENERGY, brings in VALOREM to bid for the 500 MW floating wind project planned off the coast of Southern Brittany.
The Canada Infrastructure Bank supports the construction of the Mesgi'g Ugju's'n 2 wind farm, co-owned by Mi'gmaq communities and Innergex, through a combined equity and debt financing package.
The first turbine of the Éoliennes Flottantes du Golfe du Lion project was assembled at Port-La Nouvelle, marking a major industrial milestone for Ocean Winds and its partners.
RWE inaugurated an onshore wind farm in Plounérin and Plounévez-Moëdec, featuring four turbines with a capacity of 14.7 MW, in partnership with the local SEM Lannion-Trégor.
The Moulins wind farm, made up of five turbines, was inaugurated on June 6 across three municipalities in the Douaisis region. It will generate €70,000 in annual tax revenue for local authorities.
Chinese firm SANY Renewable Energy enters Serbia through a 168 MW wind deal aimed at powering the local grid from 2028.
The Wedgeport Wind project led by Elemental Energy secures $97mn from the Canada Infrastructure Bank to install 12 turbines in southwest Nova Scotia.
France’s first floating wind farm, Provence Grand Large, located off the Gulf of Fos, has been commissioned with a 25 MW capacity, supplying the equivalent annual electricity consumption of 45,000 people.
Norges Bank Investment Management has finalised the acquisition of stakes in RWE's German and Danish projects, representing 2.6 GW of planned installed capacity by 2029.
Enlight has secured $310mn in financing to convert Gecama into a 554 MW wind-solar-storage hybrid plant, making it the largest installation of its kind in Spain.
The contracts for the offshore wind farms of Fécamp, Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Brieuc have been amended to allow production shutdowns when electricity prices fall below zero on the market.
AMEA Power has completed the commissioning of a 500MW wind power plant in Ras Ghareb, bringing its total deployed capacity in Egypt to 1GW within six months.
The 102 MW wind project in Québec secures structured loans from Canadian banks, marking a new stage for the joint venture between Innergex and the Mi'gmaq communities.