The German offshore wind industry has called for urgent political action following slower-than-expected capacity growth and setbacks in the auction system. Industry associations and the OFFSHORE-WINDENERGIE Foundation reported that 41 offshore wind turbines with a total capacity of 518 MW were commissioned in Germany in 2025. By the end of the year, 65 foundations had been installed. A further 19 turbines with a combined capacity of 278 MW had been erected but were not yet feeding electricity into the grid. In total, Germany had 1,680 offshore wind turbines with an installed capacity of 9,740 MW at the end of 2025.
Delays in grid connections and the failure of the August 2025 auction round are expected to prevent Germany from reaching its offshore wind target of 30 GW by 2030. Current projections indicate that around 20 GW will be connected to the grid by that date, with the 30 GW target likely to be achieved no earlier than 2032. The industry warns that the current situation risks undermining investment in both awarded and future projects and slowing cost-efficient offshore wind development.
The sector is calling for rapid reforms to the offshore wind auction framework and the Wind Energy at Sea Act (WindSeeG). It argues that the current design does not sufficiently prioritise project realisation and investment security. Proposed measures include changes to bidding rules, adjustments to penalties and guarantees, and the introduction of mechanisms such as two-sided contracts for difference and stronger support for power purchase agreements to reduce project and financing risks.
The government plans to re-tender areas that received no bids in August 2025 in mid-2026. Industry representatives caution that without swift regulatory adjustments, further unsuccessful auction rounds remain likely. They also call for improvements in spatial planning to increase energy yield and reduce system costs, alongside potential adjustments to auction timelines to enable effective implementation of new rules.
The industry is also urging stronger European cooperation on offshore wind expansion pathways, spatial planning and policy coordination, particularly between Germany and Denmark. It highlights the need for measures at European level to address market distortions caused by subsidised competitors and to ensure fair competition.
In addition, the sector emphasises the importance of security and resilience in offshore wind infrastructure amid rising geopolitical tensions, including both physical and digital protection of critical assets. It also stresses that sufficient port capacity and infrastructure investment are essential to meet expansion targets, calling for greater federal involvement in financing and development.
