Construction Begins on Germany’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm in the North Sea
EnBW, one of Germany’s leading energy companies, has commenced construction on what will become the country’s largest offshore wind farm. Named “He Dreiht,” which translates to “He rotates” in Low German, the project boasts an impressive 960 megawatts capacity, enough to power 1.1 million households.
The He Dreiht wind farm will feature 64 state-of-the-art wind turbines, each contributing to a total output equivalent to conventional power plants. Uniquely, this ambitious project is being developed without state funding, representing an investment of approximately 2.4 billion euros.
EnBW’s CEO, Georg Stamatelopoulos, emphasized the company’s commitment to Germany’s energy transition, revealing plans to invest 40 billion euros in renewable energy by 2030. This includes 13 billion euros dedicated to wind and solar parks, as well as hydrogen-capable gas-fired power plants. “Our goal is to be a climate-neutral company by 2035, and the He Dreiht offshore wind farm is a significant step towards achieving this,” Stamatelopoulos said.
The He Dreiht wind farm is being constructed about 85 kilometers northwest of Borkum and 110 kilometers west of Heligoland. At peak times, over 500 workers and more than 60 ships will be involved in the project, coordinated by EnBW’s offshore office in Hamburg. The massive floating crane Thialf will soon install the first of many monopiles, steel foundations that will support the wind turbines.
Each monopile is a 70-meter-long steel structure weighing around 1,350 tons, topped by a transition piece that connects the wind turbine tower. Installation of these foundations will be completed by summer, with turbine and cable production already underway. The turbines, supplied by Vestas, will start being installed in spring 2025. A single rotation of one 15-megawatt turbine can supply four households with electricity for a day.
The wind farm is expected to be operational by the end of 2025, with EnBW managing technical and commercial operations from its Emden service base. TenneT, a German-Dutch grid operator, will handle the connection to the power grid through an offshore converter station and two high-voltage direct current export cables.
A consortium including Allianz Capital Partners, AIP, and Norges Bank Investment Management holds a 49.9% stake in the He Dreiht project. EnBW, which has a longstanding history of developing offshore wind farms, continues to expand its portfolio with projects like Hohe See and Albatros in the North Sea, and international projects in the UK.
