Offshore staff
PARIS / LONDON — Two European energy majors have bid successfully for new offshore wind developments offshore Germany under an auction process.
The German Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) awarded TotalEnergies two marine concessions, N-12.1 and O-2.2.
N-12.1, located in the North Sea and 170 km from the coast, covers a 200-sq-km area with a capacity of 2 GW.
O-22, spanning 100 sq km in the Baltic Sea, is 40 km offshore and will have a 1-GW capacity.
TotalEnergies will pay the German Federal government Eur 582 million ($650 million) for the two awards, with the sum directed at conservation of the marine environment and promoting environmentally friendly fishing practice. Plus, the company will pay a further sum annually to the electricity transmission system operators responsible for connecting the projects for 20 years from commissioning of the two sites.
The company will market the power generated for sale directly to the electricity market or enter power purchase agreements (PPAs) with end-buyers, allowing them to reduce their carbon footprint.
TotalEnergies will now embark on studies to secure the environmental permits and technical analyses to support investment decisions in 2027 and commissioning by 2030.
bp gained the rights to develop two bottom-fixed offshore wind projects in the German tender round, both in the North Sea sites, over areas 130 km and 150 km offshore in water depths of about 40 m. The company estimates the combined potential generating capacity at 4 GW.
Subject to receiving permits and approvals, these would be bp’s first offshore wind projects in Germany.
The company will lead development, construction and operations and is targeting grid connection by year-end 2030.
07.13.2023
