- Delivery of 1.6-gigawatt project on track with turbine installation for Nordseecluster A and manufacturing of main components for Nordseecluster B now underway
- Full commissioning of Nordseecluster A (660 megawatts) scheduled for early 2027; Nordseecluster B to add further 900 megawatts of capacity from early 2029
- Nordseecluster expected to generate around 6.5 terawatt hours of electricity per year, helping in particular to decarbonise industry
RWE has installed the first turbine of the 1.6-gigawatt (GW) Nordseecluster offshore wind project, marking a key construction milestone 50 kilometres north of the German island of Juist.
Turbine installation of the first phase, Nordseecluster A, is carried out by DEME’s vessel Norse Wind, which can transport and install five turbine sets per cycle. By the end of 2026 it is expected that all 44 Vestas turbines will be in place. Each individual turbine will have a capacity of up to 15 megawatts (MW), has a hub height of 145 metres and features rotor blades that are 115 metres long.
Sven Utermöhlen, Chief Executive Officer RWE Offshore Wind: 'Large-scale offshore construction projects require close collaboration, technical expertise and a clear commitment to safety - qualities our teams at sea demonstrate every day. The successful installation of the first turbine marks a significant milestone in the delivery of Nordseecluster, RWE’s largest offshore wind project currently under construction. Once fully operational, our Nordseecluster will make an important contribution to Germany’s energy security while helping to decarbonise the industry.'
Damien Lhors, Head of Global Offshore at Vestas: 'The installation of the first turbine at Nordseecluster A marks an important milestone for both Vestas and RWE, and underlines the strength of our long-standing partnership. Projects at this scale are critical for accelerating Europe’s energy transition, and we are proud to support RWE in delivering one of Germany’s largest offshore wind developments. At the same time, production and delivery of our V236-15.0 MW turbines are progressing well, reflecting our continued progress in delivering large and complex offshore projects.'
With a total capacity of 660 MW, Nordseecluster A is expected to be fully connected to the grid in early 2027. The second expansion phase – Nordseecluster B – will add a further 900 MW of capacity. Production of some components has already begun. Installation of the foundations is scheduled to start next year, followed by the installation of the 60 Vestas turbines in 2028. Nordseecluster B is scheduled to commence commercial operations in early 2029.
Together, the Nordseecluster wind farms will generate around 6.5 terawatt hours of climate-friendly electricity annually. RWE will use the green electricity generated from the wind farms to support its industrial customers on the path to decarbonisation with customised energy solutions. These customers increasingly include technology companies such as Amazon, with whom RWE signed a Power Purchase Agreement earlier this year for 110 MW from Nordseecluster B.
Nordseecluster is a joint offshore wind project between RWE (51% share) and Norges Bank Investment Management (49% share). RWE is responsible for the construction and operation of the Nordseecluster offshore wind farms throughout their entire life cycle.
Leading global player in offshore wind
RWE is one of the world’s leading players in the offshore wind sector and has more than 20 years of experience in the development, construction, and efficient operation of offshore wind farms. Besides the Nordseecluster RWE is currently implementing three large offshore wind projects: Sofia in the UK (1.4 GW), Thor in Denmark (1.1 GW) and OranjeWind in the Netherlands (795 MW). Once completed, these wind farms will have a total generation capacity of 4.8 GW, of which 3.1 GW represents RWE’s share. In addition, RWE has a large pipeline of attractive development projects. Overall, the company intends to expand its offshore wind capacity by a net 5 GW by 2031.
Further information on the Nordseecluster offshore wind project can be found here.
Source: RWE
