Acquisition
EWE, RWE and Vattenfall are selling their shares in the Alpha Ventus offshore wind farm to Ocean Breeze Energy.
This change in ownership means Germany’s first offshore wind farm, located about 45 km north of Borkum, could continue operating beyond its originally planned lifespan.
Commissioned in 2010, the wind farm pioneered German offshore wind energy. As a demonstration and testing platform, the joint project provided valuable insights into technologies, operational procedures, and maintenance concepts.
Jantje Bolduan, Offshore Manager at EWE, commented: “As Germany’s first offshore wind farm, Alpha Ventus played a key role. The project was a unique testing ground and learning environment for technologies, operational concepts, maintenance concepts, and the development of offshore expertise. The consortium achieved its objectives and gained insights that continue to inform modern offshore wind projects to this day.”
Ocean Breeze Energy plans to operate beyond its intended 20-year lifespan. Experience with comparable technology at the neighbouring BARD wind farm, operational synergies, and proprietary technical solutions provide a solid foundation for this.
Jean Huby, CEO of Ocean Breeze, added: “With BARD Offshore 1, we have over 10 years’ experience in managing offshore wind farms with legacy turbine technology, and we see considerable potential for the profitable operation of Alpha Ventus. We want to open a new chapter in Alpha Ventus’s success story, fully utilising the potential of this pioneering project to contribute positively to the energy transition and net zero.”
The transaction marks the start of a new chapter for Alpha Ventus. The new ownership structure is designed to ensure that the existing infrastructure can be used to generate renewable electricity for as long as possible.
