In response to the maritime motion put forward by the government factions, Stefan Thimm, the Managing Director of BWO (German Association of Offshore Wind Farm Operators), stresses the significance of a robust maritime economy for the success of the maritime energy transition.
Thimm highlights the immense potential for Germany and its European partners in expanding offshore wind energy. The ambitious targets of reaching at least 30 gigawatts by 2030 and 70 gigawatts by 2045 present a tremendous opportunity. However, he emphasizes that meeting these targets will require three times the current capacity for turbines, foundations, cables, and installation ships.
“The maritime application is the right signal at the right time,” says Thimm, affirming the importance of strengthening the maritime economy to achieve the expansion goals.
Thimm underscores the crucial role of port infrastructure as the logistical hub for offshore wind energy. To ensure a successful energy transition, he recommends larger area capacities in ports for production, manufacturing, handling, and storage of components, including the recycling of old systems during dismantling. Thimm urges the federal government to provide greater financial support to the responsible federal states to manage the significant investment costs associated with port infrastructure development.
BWO’s Managing Director welcomes the coalition factions’ call for financial and regulatory support for maritime infrastructure and production capacities. Thimm highlights the potential value creation for the maritime industry through the construction of converter platforms for connecting offshore wind energy to the grid. He expresses hope that this support will benefit the Warnow shipyard in Rostock-Warnemünde and the locations of the Rönner Group in Bremerhaven.
Thimm emphasizes the job creation potential of the offshore wind industry, stating that it could become a significant employer for maritime locations. Currently employing 80,000 skilled workers across Europe, the industry aims to create up to 300,000 jobs by 2030.
Furthermore, Thimm welcomes the coalition factions’ focus on offshore electrolysis and their aim to promote the expansion of electrolysers at sea and on land. He emphasizes the need to accelerate the scaling and ramp-up of these technologies.
Addressing the motion’s focus on the security of critical infrastructures, Thimm emphasizes the need for swift answers from the federal government on protecting investments in the energy transition at sea. He underscores the importance of collaboration in addressing new security policy challenges.
The motion for “Maritime Sovereignty in the Changing Era” has been discussed and passed in the German Bundestag on July 6, 2023.
