(Berlin) – The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) has published a “Surface Development Plan for the Expansion of Offshore Wind Energy.” This plan specifies which concrete areas in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) will be designated for wind farms in the North and Baltic Seas.
Excerpt from the “2023 Area Development Plan for the German North Sea and Baltic Sea”. © BMWK
Accordingly, a total output of 36,5 gigawatts can be installed there. In addition, the tender years, commissioning and grid connection are determined, as well as a test field to promote research and development in the territorial sea.
Coalition goal: 30 GW by 2030
By 2030, existing wind power capacity must increase from the current eight gigawatts to 30 gigawatts (GW), a goal enshrined in law in the coalition agreement and the amended Offshore Wind Energy Act . To achieve this target and accelerate expansion, the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) has increased the density of capacity on existing sites and identified further potential areas.
In addition, this has already created the basis for the coalition's desired expansion to 40 gigawatts to be "significantly exceeded" by ten gigawatts in 2035, said Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck on the occasion of the presentation of the area development plan.
Electrolysis capacity up to one gigawatt
“Electricity from offshore wind farms is ideal, among other things, for producing hydrogen via electrolysis,” explained Habeck. In order to test these technologies on an industrial scale on the high seas, the plan specifies an enlarged area in the North Sea, which can be connected with a hydrogen pipeline. The area enables an electrolysis capacity of up to one gigawatt.
The 2023 area development plan is available free of charge as a PDF (133 pages) on the BSH website.
The BSH's concept, alongside the offshore agreement from last November, is "another piece of our master plan to achieve the ambitious targets for expanding renewable energies." It also lays the foundation for a European offshore electricity grid, in which the individual wind farms could be interconnected. The plan takes into account findings from international working groups such as the North Seas Energy Cooperation (NSEC). Among other things, it specifies cable routes for connecting the offshore platforms and the connection capacities to be provided there. According to the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the next update process for the area development plan is scheduled to begin this spring.
Photos
The BSH designates areas in the North and Baltic Seas for wind power output of more than 36 gigawatts to be installed. This enables an electrolysis capacity of up to one gigawatt. © FIG
