Wind farms within the North and Baltic Seas are making a big contribution to Germany’s vitality transition, and their share of electrical energy technology is growing.
Final 12 months, offshore wind vitality generated a complete of 25.7 terawatt hours (TWh) of electrical energy, in contrast with 23.5 TWh the 12 months earlier than. Offshore wind vitality’s share of German electrical energy technology was 5.9% in 2024.
Stefan Thimm, from the German Offshore Wind Power Affiliation, stated that massive progress had been made for the reason that beginning of the sector 15 years in the past.
By the top of 2024, a complete of 1,639 offshore wind generators with a complete capability of round 9.2 gigawatts (GW) have been in operation in Germany. For comparability, the put in capability of onshore wind generators on the finish of 2024 was round 63.5 gigawatts, whereas the overall photo voltaic capability was round 99 gigawatts.
Electrical energy from wind and solar performs a key position within the German authorities’s local weather safety targets and the gradual discount of fossil fuels use. By 2030, 80% of the electrical energy is to come back from renewable vitality sources. Final 12 months, in keeping with trade figures, it was 55%.
Nonetheless, the legally stipulated growth goal of not less than 30 gigawatts of offshore wind vitality by 2030 will in all probability not be met till 2031, the trade affiliation says. The goal for 2035 of not less than 40 GW, alternatively, must be met a 12 months earlier.
With Germany heading to the polls in early parliamentary elections later this month, Thimm stated political predictability was important. And, with the growing significance of offshore wind energy for vitality provide, there’s a rising want for higher bodily and cyber safety to raised shield important maritime infrastructure.
