Dong Reviews Its Offshore Wind Plans for Germany

Faced with reduced funds for German offshore wind energy, Dong Energy has been revising its plans in Germany, with a possibility of scaling them back, writes the German manager magazin online edition.

The company’s manager for German offshore business, Trine Borum Bojsen, said that ambitious policy goals are needed for a technology breakthrough to take place. The company, which is one of the most important investors in technology in Germany, has called on the German politicians to show more commitment to the offshore wind technology.

With the reform of the Renewable Energy Act (EEG), the German federal government has recently lowered offshore wind expansion target for 2020 and 2030. An important factor in the review of Dong Energy’s plans was also the proposed gradual subsidy lowering from 2018.

Not affected by the revision are the projects Borkum Riffgrund 1, which is already under construction, as well as Gode Wind 1 and 2. These projects together have a production capacity of around 0.9 gigawatts and should be completed by the end of 2017. According to the company’s previous plans, it intends to build wind farms further offshore, their capacity being 1.1 gigawatts.

Offshore WIND Staff, April 21, 2014; Image: Dong Energy