Press Release:
BWO welcomes the postponement of the offshore wind auctions
Berlin, January 28, 2026. The German Offshore Wind Energy Association (BWO) welcomes the Federal Cabinet's decision to postpone the tenders for offshore wind farm areas scheduled for 2026. At the same time, the association calls for maximum planning certainty, an adapted auction design, and early transparency regarding delays to key infrastructure projects such as converter platforms.
The cabinet today approved an amendment proposed by the governing coalition of the CDU/CSU and SPD to suspend offshore wind energy tenders in 2026. This provision is part of the draft law to accelerate the availability of hydrogen and to amend other energy regulations (document 21/1491).
No offshore wind auctions under the old rules
The cabinet decision stipulates that the offshore wind energy areas N-10.1 and N-10.2, which were not awarded contracts in August 2025, will not be immediately put out to tender again. According to the previous plan, these tenders were to have been announced at the beginning of February and carried out in June 2026. Instead, a postponement to 2027 is now planned. The exact date will be determined by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency in the area development plan. According to the draft legislation, the postponement of the tenders will not affect the achievement of the expansion targets of the Offshore Wind Energy Act.
"The BWO has repeatedly and early on advocated for a postponement of the auctions. The fact that the cabinet is now following this assessment sends the right signal," he says. Hans Sohn, Head of the Policy and Communications Department at BWO. “From our perspective, a further auction of the two sites under the existing rules would have been very risky. We need a new auction design based on bilateral contracts for difference with indexation. This will limit risks and make investment possible again,” he adds.
Don't delay reform
However, the federal government should ensure that the next tender takes place as soon as possible. A general postponement to 2027 sends a signal of delay that introduces uncertainty into the value chain.
“At the same time, the affected offshore wind farm areas N-10.1 and N-10.2 must be optimized to offer better yield prospects. The number of expected full-load hours is too low in the current planning. This deprives the technology of its real strength: its very consistent electricity production.”
Furthermore, the offshore wind industry needs early and transparent information about delays in key grid infrastructure. Only in this way can risks be realistically assessed and negative developments in tenders avoided.
Background
The regulations for postponing the offshore wind auctions are part of an amendment proposed by the governing coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD to the draft law on accelerating the availability of hydrogen and amending other legal frameworks for the hydrogen ramp-up as well as other energy law regulations (document 21/1491).
The North Sea wind farms N-10.1 and N-10.2, with a total capacity of 2,5 gigawatts and a total area of approximately 182 square kilometers, were scheduled to go online in 2030 and 2031, respectively. Following a tender in August 2025 that failed to attract any bids and thus resulted in no awards, the Federal Network Agency is obligated to conduct a new tender for the same area.
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.