Vattenfall has installed the first monopile foundation at Nordlicht I, opening the main construction phase of what will be Germany’s largest offshore wind project. The work in the German North Sea moves the 1.6 GW Nordlicht cluster into its offshore installation stage.
Nordlicht I is the larger of two neighbouring wind farms that make up the cluster. Vattenfall says Nordlicht II, which recently received its final permit, is set to rank among the largest offshore wind farms in the world once complete. Together the two projects are central to the company’s plan to expand fossil-free generation across Europe.
Ahead of the offshore campaign, Vattenfall simulated the complex installation on land to prepare the sequence of foundation and turbine placement at sea. The company is also expanding storage alongside its wind portfolio, having secured approval for a large-scale battery in Brunsbüttel.
For the wider North European market, added North Sea capacity strengthens regional supply and cross-border power flows as Germany works to replace fossil generation. The start of foundation work is the clearest signal yet that the cluster is moving from planning into delivery.
