Press release: Long-term expansion target of 70 GW offshore wind maintained

For a safe, affordable and European-oriented energy transition

Berlin, March 24, 2025. The German Offshore Wind Energy Association (BWO) strongly advocates maintaining the legally enshrined expansion target of 70 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy by 2045. Given the challenges facing energy and industrial policy, lowering this target would be economically short-sighted. The BWO proposes three measures to increase cost efficiency in expansion: cooperation with neighboring countries, longer operating periods, and more flexible implementation deadlines.

"Offshore wind is the cornerstone of a successful energy transition and industrial transformation. The current debate about targets is a sham. Those who cut back on expansion today may save on grid expansion – but in the long run they will have to pay significantly higher costs for energy imports and a strategic dependency," emphasizes Stefan Thimm, Managing Director of the BWO.

Offshore wind energy reliably supplies large amounts of electricity and contributes significantly to the stability of the energy system. "Offshore wind energy is subsidy-free and, moreover, the only generation technology that contributes billions in revenue from tenders to financing the expansion of the electricity grid," emphasizes Thimm.

Clear goals create reliability for business and society

The expansion of offshore wind energy is an industrial location advantage. Reliable and ambitious expansion targets secure value creation and jobs in Germany and Europe. Clear prospects are crucial for the supply chain to plan and expand investments and production capacities.

"Our industry needs reliability and not debates about target reductions that jeopardize planning and investments," Thimm said. "Electricity will be needed for decarbonization in the long term. To the extent that we cannot guarantee our energy supply independently due to insufficient expansion, we are becoming dependent on expensive hydrogen and LNG imports. Therefore, we must not slacken our efforts in offshore wind expansion now. It is important that we place greater emphasis on efficiency in the next legislative period."

"We must not make the mistake of responding to short-term challenges with long-term despondency," warns Thimm. "Security of supply, competitiveness, and climate protection can only be achieved with a strong expansion of offshore wind energy – and for this we need stable and reliable targets," adds Thimm.

Increase cost efficiency in a targeted manner

For the next legislative period, the BWO recommends further increasing the cost efficiency of offshore wind expansion through a series of measures:

  1. Cooperation with neighboring countries: Space-efficient offshore wind farms in neighboring countries could count toward the national expansion target in the future if they are directly connected to the German grid. If this succeeds, the building density for areas in the German North and Baltic Seas could be reduced. "The new federal government should particularly seek cooperation with Denmark. Cross-border planning can reduce shadowing effects and improve electricity yields. End consumers benefit from subsidy-free electricity generation and reduced grid costs," says Thimm.
  2. Longer operating time The new federal government should also allow offshore wind farms to operate for longer. This would help ensure grid connections and wind farms remain in use for longer and reduce grid fees and electricity costs for customers. This applies particularly to the first offshore wind farms. Continued operation at market conditions should be considered here. This would postpone the need for grid expansion and the associated costs.

  3. More flexible implementation deadlines: Current expansion planning envisions a peak in expansion at the end of this decade. This will result in a shortage of components and, consequently, very high expansion costs. "The new federal government should make implementation deadlines more flexible for wind farm developers. This would allow the expansion peak to be flattened around 2031 and avoid excessive costs for components," says Stefan Thimm.

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.