Press release: Federal Association of Offshore Wind Energy calls for investments in port expansion from planned special funds
Berlin, 10 March 2025: The German Offshore Wind Energy Association (BWO) is appealing to the members of the German Bundestag to use the funds from the planned special fund of 500 billion euros specifically for the urgently needed port expansion in Germany.
The list of investment areas under consideration includes, among others, energy infrastructure and transport infrastructure – both of which are essential elements for the expansion of offshore wind energy.
"Ports play a central role in both the energy transition and security policy. Their heavy-duty areas can be used both for the expansion of offshore wind energy and for military purposes. Unfortunately, such areas are still too scarce in Germany. Such expansion would improve the location conditions for the German offshore wind industry and at the same time contribute to strengthening security policy," explains Stefan Thimm, Managing Director of the BWO.
The port of Esbjerg in Denmark could serve as a model here, as it has expanded its capacity for both offshore wind development and military use through targeted investments. The European Investment Bank recently provided 115 million euros to optimize the infrastructure for dual use.
"A similar strategic approach is also necessary for Germany. I welcome the fact that the CDU/CSU and SPD agreed to use all the potential of renewables even before the start of their coalition negotiations. However, the targets for the expansion of offshore wind energy that have already been set by law require more efficient port infrastructure that enables the transport and installation of new systems. At the same time, military actors also benefit from more robust port facilities. The port expansion thus fits perfectly into the investment priorities sought by parliamentarians to strengthen the strategic resilience of Germany and Europe," said Thimm.
Additional funds for port expansion can also be provided from the proceeds of offshore wind auctions. These also provide a source of financing to strengthen maritime infrastructure in the long term and support the industry's expansion goals.
"The new federal government is urgently called upon to regulate the financing of port expansion. Unfortunately, the traffic light government has failed to do this. Without a clear strategy for providing sufficient funds, the future federal government would jeopardize the timely expansion of offshore wind energy and carelessly miss the opportunity for jobs and value creation along the German coasts," added the BWO managing director. "I am pleased that the Union faction supported the demand of the port industry and the states last year to increase port burden equalization from the current 38 million to at least 400 million euros per year," said Thimm.
The BWO calls on politicians to explicitly consider port expansion as a national task in the negotiations on the special fund and thus to strengthen both the energy transition and Germany's security policy resilience.
About the BWO:
The Federal Association for Offshore Wind Energy (BWO) is the political lobby for the offshore wind industry in Germany. We pool the technical expertise of companies along the entire value chain, from manufacturers to developers and operators to offshore wind energy service providers. For politicians and authorities at federal and state level, the BWO is the central contact for all questions relating to offshore wind energy.