Highways at Sea: Germany Plans Massive Expansion of Offshore Wind Energy

In an ambitious move forward in green energy policy, the Federal Republic of Germany plans to use nearly a quarter of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the North and Baltic Seas for the construction of wind farms. According to calculations by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), the wind farms could occupy about 20 to 25 percent of the area, with the wind turbines themselves being spaced 800 to 1000 meters apart from each other. Nico Nolte, Head of the "Maritime Spatial Order" department at BSH, expressed confidence in addressing future challenges. The Exclusive Economic Zone covers approximately 33,000 square kilometers of sea area that can be economically utilized and thus available for the expansion of offshore wind energy. For comparison, onshore – on land – only a two percent area is provided for expansion. The current government coalition aims to increase the installed capacity of offshore wind energy to an impressive 70 gigawatts by 2045. Currently, the German coastal areas have 1564 wind turbines with a total output of 8.4 gigawatts. Additional parks with a total output of 2.54 gigawatts are under construction, and it is planned to add around 0.718 gigawatts this year. The BSH area development plan envisages an interim target of 30 gigawatts by 2030. For the planned increase in capacity by 2045, it is assumed that more than 13,000 facilities will be needed – an eightfold increase on the current number. However, renewal cycles must also be considered, as wind turbines need to be replaced after about 20 to 25 years. Helge Heegewaldt, President of the BSH, emphasizes the significant changes this transformation will bring to maritime use and points to the growing competition for space, including with fisheries and shipping. Despite this tight coordination with marine nature conservation, safety will not be compromised, and standards are not to be lowered. Rather, wind farms could develop into oases for marine life, as they are used by fish as retreat zones and thus also contribute to ecological enhancement. Heegewaldt also pointed to challenges posed by increased natural events, such as the 16 storm surges on the North Sea since mid-September, and the record water levels in the Baltic Sea, which are favored by sea-level rise. Despite the associated threat, Heegewaldt sees storm surges also as an opportunity for oxygenation in the otherwise low-oxygen Baltic Sea, as these events can transport oxygen-rich water into previously poorly ventilated areas.