Results of the offshore wind power auctions for centrally pre-investigated sites
Year of issue 2024
Date of issue 2024.08.12
The Bundesnetzagentur has today announced the results of the offshore wind power auctions for centrally pre-investigated sites, which closed for bids on 1 August 2024. Bidding procedures with qualitative criteria were conducted as in 2023 for the three sites up for auction. These procedures take account of factors such as the decarbonisation of the offshore expansion projects and the use of environmentally-friendly foundation technologies as well as how much bidders are willing to pay.
Auction results
The three sites up for auction were offshore wind farm sites in the North Sea with a combined capacity of 5,500 MW that had been subject to a preliminary investigation by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency to analyse the marine environment, seabed, and wind and oceanographic conditions.
The wind farms on the sites (N-9.1, N-9.2 and N-9.3) are due to become operational in 2029 (N-9.3), 2030 (N-9.1) and 2031 (N-9.2). Unlike the four pre-investigated sites with a combined capacity of 1,800 MW that were auctioned in 2023, no rights of subrogation existed for any of the sites up for auction this year.
A total of five bids were submitted for the sites: one for site N-9.1 and two each for N-9.2 and N-9.3. The successful bidders were Offshore Wind Four GmbH and Offshore Wind Two GmbH for N-9.1 and N-9.2 and Waterekke Energy GmbH for N-9.3. The total proceeds from this auction are not being published because it would then be possible to calculate the prices paid by the successful bidders, and the law does not provide for these prices to be published. The successful bidders now have a right to a planning approval procedure for constructing and operating offshore wind installations on their site and to grid connection and the necessary capacity.
Lower electricity costs and sustainable marine conservation
Most of the proceeds from the offshore wind power auctions will go towards bringing down electricity costs and a small proportion towards marine nature conservation and promoting sustainable fishing. The contributions for sustainable marine conservation from each of the successful bids must be paid to the federal budget within one year. The contributions for lowering electricity costs must be paid in equal annual instalments to the transmission system operators required to connect the offshore wind farms over a period of 20 years, beginning when each wind farm becomes operational.
The auctions for centrally pre-investigated sites, for which the Bundesnetzagentur has announced the results today, are one of two types of auction for offshore wind power.
Further information about the offshore wind power auctions is available on the Bundesnetzagentur's website at www.bundesnetzagentur.de/windaufseeausschreibungen24. (in German).