German Offshore Wind Farms Maintain Record-Breaking Momentum

Offshore wind farms in Germany delivered 8.8 billion kWh of electricity to the grid in the first six months of 2017, a 47.5 percent increase compared to 5.9 billion kWh of electricity delivered in the first half of 2016.

In the second quarter of 2016, German offshore wind farms delivered 4 billion kWh of green electricity. If the trend continues, German offshore wind farms could deliver more electricity in the first nine months of the year than in the entire 2016, which was in itself a record year in terms of the power generated and fed to the grid by the offshore wind farms.

Offshore wind power saw the steepest growth out of any other form of renewably generated power, according to the data compiled by the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research in Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) and the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW).

The rise in the generation is most likely due to an increase in offshore wind capacity and favourable wind conditions.

Overall, electricity generated from renewable sources accounted for 35 percent of Germany’s consumption in the first half of 2017, the highest mark ever recorded. Renewable energies’ share was up two percentage points compared to the same period a year earlier.

The main sources of the renewably sourced energy were onshore wind (39 billion kWh), biomass (23 billion kWh) and solar (22 billion kWh).

“Renewable energies’ increased contribution is gratifying. Unfortunately, the necessary grid expansion is not keeping pace with the growth in regenerative plants because of all the time lost to political debates. Grid expansion and the expansion of renewables have to be far more closely linked and better meshed to reduce the enormous costs of stabilizing networks. On top of that, we will not be able to do without conventional power plants as a backup for secure power supply,” said Stefan Kapferer, Chairman of BDEW’s General Executive Management Board.