Released April 16, 2025 | GALWAY, IRELAND
en
Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Swedish energy major Vattenfall (Stockholm) is set to build Germany's largest offshore windfarm following a final investment decision (FID) on the Nordlicht 1 and 2 projects.
Located 85 kilometers north of the island of Borkum in the German North Sea, Nordlicht 1 will have a generating capacity of about 980 megawatts (MW), and the smaller Nordlicht 2 will have a capacity of about 630 MW. Construction of both projects is expected to kick off in 2026, and Nordlicht 1 is set to become Germany's largest offshore wind project when completed. Both windfarms will be operational in 2028. With a combined output of 6 terawatt-hours (TWh), they will be capable of powering around 1.6 million homes. "The Nordlicht offshore wind cluster makes a significant milestone in the path to enabling fossil freedom," said Helene Biström, Head of Business Area Wind at Vattenfall. "By accelerating Germany's energy transition and supporting industrial decarbonisation, it will provide clean, reliable energy while driving innovation and sustainability in the sector. We look forward to realizing this important project in close collaboration with our supply chain partners." Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Project Database can click here for both Nordlicht project reports.
Offshore wind is playing a more important role in Germany's renewable energy mix. Last year, 0.7 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity was brought online, more than double that of the previous year, according to figures from Germany's Federal Network Agency (BNetzA). The country has 9.2 GW of offshore wind capacity and last year saw 73 turbines come online at projects, including Gode in the North Sea and Baltic Eagle in the Baltic Sea.
On the back of the FID, Vattenfall has signed a conditional agreement with turbine-maker Vestas Wind Systems A/S (Copenhagen, Denmark) for the supply and installation of 112 of its V236 15-MW turbines. It also includes a five-year service and warranty agreement followed by a 25-year operational support agreement. The turbines are also being hailed for the green credentials as parts of the towers for Nordlicht will be made with low-emission steel, leading to a 16% reduction in the towers' overall carbon footprint. "Germany's energy transition is at a crossroads - balancing security, affordability, and sustainability," commented Nils de Baar, president of Vestas Northern & Central Europe. "Together with Vattenfall we are not just witnessing the change; we are driving the solutions that make it reliable, resilient, and accessible for all."
A key part of the project's development is the green energy partnership between Vattenfall and chemicals major BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany), which holds slightly less than half the shares in the two projects. Vattenfall has agreed to repurchase BASF's share in the projects while both companies have agreed a long-term deal to supply renewable power for the company's chemical production sites in Europe, especially in Ludwigshafen. Last month, Industrial Info reported that BASF had commissioned Germany's largest green hydrogen electrolyzer at its main chemicals campus, Ludwigshafen Verbund in the southwest. The 54-MW proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer is powered by renewable energy and can produce up to 1 metric ton of clean hydrogen per hour which will be used as feedstock at the plant. Earlier this year, Vattenfall also signed a power purchase agreement with leading Dutch polymers company LyondellBasell Industries NV (NYSE:LYB) (LYB) (Rotterdam, Netherlands) for the Nordlicht 1 windfarm.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
Located 85 kilometers north of the island of Borkum in the German North Sea, Nordlicht 1 will have a generating capacity of about 980 megawatts (MW), and the smaller Nordlicht 2 will have a capacity of about 630 MW. Construction of both projects is expected to kick off in 2026, and Nordlicht 1 is set to become Germany's largest offshore wind project when completed. Both windfarms will be operational in 2028. With a combined output of 6 terawatt-hours (TWh), they will be capable of powering around 1.6 million homes. "The Nordlicht offshore wind cluster makes a significant milestone in the path to enabling fossil freedom," said Helene Biström, Head of Business Area Wind at Vattenfall. "By accelerating Germany's energy transition and supporting industrial decarbonisation, it will provide clean, reliable energy while driving innovation and sustainability in the sector. We look forward to realizing this important project in close collaboration with our supply chain partners." Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Project Database can click here for both Nordlicht project reports.
Offshore wind is playing a more important role in Germany's renewable energy mix. Last year, 0.7 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity was brought online, more than double that of the previous year, according to figures from Germany's Federal Network Agency (BNetzA). The country has 9.2 GW of offshore wind capacity and last year saw 73 turbines come online at projects, including Gode in the North Sea and Baltic Eagle in the Baltic Sea.
On the back of the FID, Vattenfall has signed a conditional agreement with turbine-maker Vestas Wind Systems A/S (Copenhagen, Denmark) for the supply and installation of 112 of its V236 15-MW turbines. It also includes a five-year service and warranty agreement followed by a 25-year operational support agreement. The turbines are also being hailed for the green credentials as parts of the towers for Nordlicht will be made with low-emission steel, leading to a 16% reduction in the towers' overall carbon footprint. "Germany's energy transition is at a crossroads - balancing security, affordability, and sustainability," commented Nils de Baar, president of Vestas Northern & Central Europe. "Together with Vattenfall we are not just witnessing the change; we are driving the solutions that make it reliable, resilient, and accessible for all."
A key part of the project's development is the green energy partnership between Vattenfall and chemicals major BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany), which holds slightly less than half the shares in the two projects. Vattenfall has agreed to repurchase BASF's share in the projects while both companies have agreed a long-term deal to supply renewable power for the company's chemical production sites in Europe, especially in Ludwigshafen. Last month, Industrial Info reported that BASF had commissioned Germany's largest green hydrogen electrolyzer at its main chemicals campus, Ludwigshafen Verbund in the southwest. The 54-MW proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer is powered by renewable energy and can produce up to 1 metric ton of clean hydrogen per hour which will be used as feedstock at the plant. Earlier this year, Vattenfall also signed a power purchase agreement with leading Dutch polymers company LyondellBasell Industries NV (NYSE:LYB) (LYB) (Rotterdam, Netherlands) for the Nordlicht 1 windfarm.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
