Success in German offshore wind auction: RWE secures two sites with a total capacity of 4 GW

As announced today by the German Federal Network Agency, RWE has been awarded the N-9.1 and N-9.2 sites in the German North Sea in the current offshore wind auction. The awarded sites are located approximately 110 - 115 kilometres north-west of the island of Borkum on the border with the Dutch Exclusive Economic Zone. The sites are large enough to accommodate offshore wind farms with a total capacity of 2,000 megawatts each. RWE will pay a total bid price of €250 million for these sites. RWE will explore the possibility of developing the offshore projects together with TotalEnergies.

Sven Utermöhlen, CEO RWE Offshore Wind: “Offshore wind is one of the main pillars of Germany's energy transition and RWE's Growing Green strategy. With today's success, we are adding two more large-scale wind farms to our already strong German offshore wind portfolio, and we look forward to realising the new projects - possibly with TotalEnergies. Our teams are already in the starting blocks.”

The investment decisions are expected to be taken by 2027 (N-9.1) and 2028 (N-9.2). Subject to the necessary permits, offshore construction could start in 2029 and 2030, with full commissioning planned for 2031 and 2032 respectively.

A total of three areas (N-9.1, N-9.2 and N-9.3) with a total capacity of 5,500 megawatts were put out to tender in the offshore wind tender in August 2024. The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) carried out preliminary studies for the areas awarded in the auction and collected essential information on the marine environment, the subsoil, and the wind and oceanographic conditions. The data is available to RWE and will be used as a basis for further planning of the wind farms. The projects have a legal right to be connected to the grid, which is planned for 2030 (N-9.1) and 2031 (N-9.2). The licences have a term of 25 years and can be extended to 35 years.

RWE already operates 19 offshore wind farms, including six off the German coast. The company is also currently building four large offshore wind farms: the Sofia offshore wind farm (1.4 GW) in the UK, the Thor offshore project (1.1 GW) in Denmark and the OranjeWind offshore wind farm (795 MW) in the Netherlands together with TotalEnergies, as well as the Nordseecluster with a total capacity of 1.6 GW north of the island of Juist in Germany. RWE aims to triple its global offshore wind capacity from 3.3 GW today to 10 GW by 2030.

RWE

RWE is leading the way to a green energy world. With its investment and growth strategy Growing Green, RWE is contributing significantly to the success of the energy transition and the decarbonisation of the energy system. Around 20,000 employees work for the company in almost 30 countries worldwide. RWE is already one of the leading companies in the field of renewable energy. Between 2024 and 2030, RWE will invest 55 billion euros worldwide in offshore and onshore wind, solar energy, batteries, flexible generation, and hydrogen projects. By the end of the decade, the company’s green portfolio will grow to more than 65 gigawatts of generation capacity, which will be perfectly complemented by global energy trading. RWE is decarbonising its business in line with the 1.5-degree reduction pathway and will phase out coal by 2030. RWE will be net-zero by 2040. Fully in line with the company’s purpose - Our energy for a sustainable life.

Forward-looking statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements reflect the current views, expectations, and assumptions of management, and are based on information currently available to management. Forward-looking statements do not guarantee the occurrence of future results and developments and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual future results and developments may deviate materially from the expectations and assumptions expressed in this document due to various factors. These factors primarily include changes in the general economic and competitive environment. Furthermore, developments on financial markets and changes in currency exchange rates as well as changes in national and international laws, in particular in respect of fiscal regulation, and other factors influence the company’s future results and developments. Neither the company nor any of its affiliates undertakes to update the statements contained in this press release.