Press Release: Tender deadline for 2.500 megawatts Offshore wind energy in the North Sea ends
Berlin, July 31, 2025. The deadline for the auction process for two offshore wind sites in the North Sea ends on August 1. Sites N-10.1 and N-10.2 offer a combined capacity of 2.500 megawatts (MW). Commissioning is scheduled for 2030 and 2031. The German Offshore Wind Energy Association (BWO) is calling for a reform of the tender design and is challenging theareas and the current auction procedure.
Offshore areas the size of Liechtenstein
The N-10.1 site will receive a grid connection with a transmission capacity of 2.000 MW. Commissioning of the NOR-10-1 grid connection system is scheduled for 2031. With an area of 151 square kilometers, the planned wind farm will cover an area almost as large as the territory of Luxembourg.
The site N-10.2 covers 31 square kilometers and has a capacity of 500 MW to be installed. The grid connection will be made jointly with the wind farm, which has already been awarded a contract. Waterekke (area N-9.3) via the offshore grid connection NOR-9-3, which is scheduled to go into operation in 2030.
According to calculations by the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy (IWES), fewer than 10.1 full-load hours per year are possible at sites N-10.2 and N-3000. This is below average across the entire German North and Baltic Seas. The planned wind farms border the SEN-1 site to the southeast, where climate-friendly hydrogen production is planned. It is unclear when the Federal Network Agency will launch the tender for this site.
BWO warns of investment barriers
"The industry is eagerly awaiting the tender results. The results of the June auction, with only two bidders and a comparatively low winning bid, are a warning signal. Investors are reacting noticeably to the increasing political and economic risks for offshore wind energy. A revised auction design could provide a remedy. Unfortunately, this is still pending. However, it is urgently needed to provide investment security. We urgently need a course correction," warns BWO Managing Director Stefan Thimm.
The auction procedure for centrally pre-investigated areas
Both sites were pre-investigated by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) with regard to the marine environment, soil composition, and other site conditions. Winners of the auction must pay a fee of €37,3 million for site N-10.1 and €9.8 million for site N-10.2.
The award decision is based 60 percent on the bid price and 40 percent on qualitative criteria. Negative bids—i.e., demands for government payments—are prohibited by law.
The qualitative criteria cover four areas:
- Share of renewable energies used in the production of components
- Scope of existing power purchase agreements (PPAs)
- Use of low-noise and soil-protecting foundation technologies
- Measures to secure skilled workers, measured by the proportion of trainees
BWO press release: Tender deadline for 2.500 megawatts of offshore wind energy in the North Sea ends
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.