The German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) has confirmed the permit for Vattenfall’s Nordlicht 2 offshore wind farm. With the permit now irrevocable, the developer has taken the full final investment decision (FID) for the Nordlicht offshore wind cluster, comprising Nordlicht 1 and Nordlicht 2, with construction expected to start this year on the first phase.
Vattenfall made the full FID for the 980 MW Nordlicht 1 and a conditional FID for the 630 MW Nordlicht 2 in March last year, pending the receipt of the necessary permit for Nordlicht 2. The irrevocable permit now removes that condition and confirms full FID for the entire 1.6 GW cluster. On 29 October 2025, BSH granted planning approval for Nordlicht 2, providing the statutory basis for construction.
Monopile installation on Nordlicht 1 is scheduled to start in the third quarter of this year, while Nordlicht 2 will follow approximately one year later, with both wind farms expected to be operational in 2028, according to the developer.
The two Nordlicht wind farms, located 85 kilometres north of Borkum Island in the German North Sea, will comprise a total of 112 Vestas V236-15.0 MW wind turbines, of which 68 will be installed on Nordlicht 1 and 44 on Nordlicht 2.
Both wind farms will feature turbine towers partially made with low-emission steel, reducing their overall carbon footprint by 16 per cent.
Once built, the 980 MW Nordlicht 1 will become Germany’s largest offshore wind farm, and with a total capacity of 1.6 GW, the Nordlicht project will become the world’s second largest offshore wind farm, according to Vattenfall.
“Securing the irrevocable permit and reaching our full investment decision marks a defining moment for Nordlicht”, said Catrin Jung , Senior Vice President, Head of Business Area Wind. “This project is about more than building offshore wind capacity – it’s about strengthening Europe’s competitiveness and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. By producing clean electricity locally, we help create a more resilient energy system. Together with our partners, we’re committed to delivering a project that will power homes and industries with fossil-free energy for decades to come.”