TotalEnergies has filed the planning consent applications for its two major offshore wind initiatives in German waters, totaling approximately 3 GW in capacity, with the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH).

The applications concern the 2 GW NordseeEnergies 1 (NSE1) project in the German North Sea and the 1 GW OstseeEnergies (OSE) project in the German Baltic Sea. The company secured the contracts for both projects in 2023 following a tender issued by the Federal Network Agency. The two wind farms are expected to supply over three million German households with electricity from renewable sources.

The required planning documents, submitted as planned to the BSH, include the environmental impact assessment, the protection and safety concept, and the preliminary layout detailing the arrangement of wind turbines and cables within the sites.

Schedule Update and Planning Milestone

The submission follows recent market rumours suggesting TotalEnergies was revisiting licensing arrangements with German officials due to evolving market circumstances.

TotalEnergies confirmed that the commencement of construction for both the NSE1 and OSE projects is scheduled for 2029, with the operational launch and commissioning now expected in 2031. This represents a one-year adjustment from the previously anticipated schedule of 2030.

Antoine Becker, Managing Director of Offshore Wind at TotalEnergies in Germany, emphasized the strategic importance of the submission, noting: “This marks the first major milestone on the path to successfully implementing our projects and strengthening sustainable energy supply in Germany. Everyone is working diligently on implementing the projects, as Germany is the most important European market for the development of our integrated electricity business.”

He also expressed his appreciation for the work done on the extensive documentation: “We are delighted to have reached this first milestone. I would especially like to thank my team in Hamburg and Paris, who carried out the necessary environmental and technical studies and analyses and prepared the permitting documents.”

The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency is mandated by the German Offshore Wind Energy Act to review the complete planning documents and issue a decision on planning approval within 18 months of receipt.

Source: TotalEnergies