Wind Energy – Germany
In a clear signal of its expanding commitment to the energy transition, French energy giant TotalEnergies has won the rights to develop a 1-gigawatt (GW) offshore wind project in Germany’s North Sea.
The winning bid, valued at €180,000 per megawatt, totals €180 million for the N-9.4 site, awarded in a competitive zero-subsidy auction organized by Germany’s Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur).
The auction – held under Section 20 of Germany’s WindSeeG law – was notable for its dynamic bidding phase, triggered by multiple zero-cent offers.
Unlike centrally pre-examined zones, this tender was held for an area requiring the developer to assume full responsibility for site investigation and risk assessment.
TotalEnergies, bidding through its subsidiary North Sea OFW One, emerged as the sole contract winner in this round.
The final award decision was announced on June 16 and will become legally binding upon publication on June 23, 2025, as stipulated by the Renewable Energy Act.
With this win, TotalEnergies’ offshore wind portfolio in Germany expands to 7.5GW, making it the largest developer in the country’s offshore wind sector, according to Stefan Thimm, Managing Director of the German Offshore Wind Energy Association (BWO).
The relatively modest auction proceeds highlight a shifting economic reality in offshore wind development. The low number of zero-cent bids and the final price reflect rising capital and operational risks amid geopolitical uncertainty, inflationary supply chains, and regulatory complexity.
“The results of the auction for site N-9.4 clearly demonstrate how significantly the risks for offshore wind developers have increased,” Thimm noted, pointing to rigid implementation deadlines, mandatory overplanting requirements, and stiff penalties for non-compliance.
