Wind farms in the North and Baltic Seas are making a significant contribution to Germany’s energy transition, and their share of electricity generation is increasing.
Last year, offshore wind energy generated a total of 25.7 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity, compared with 23.5 TWh the year before. Offshore wind energy’s share of German electricity generation was 5.9% in 2024.
Stefan Thimm, from the German Offshore Wind Energy Association, said that huge progress had been made since the birth of the sector 15 years ago.
By the end of 2024, a total of 1,639 offshore wind turbines with a total capacity of around 9.2 gigawatts (GW) were in operation in Germany. For comparison, the installed capacity of onshore wind turbines at the end of 2024 was around 63.5 gigawatts, while the total solar capacity was around 99 gigawatts.
Electricity from wind and sun plays a key role in the German government’s climate protection targets and the gradual reduction of fossil fuels use. By 2030, 80% of the electricity is to come from renewable energy sources. Last year, according to industry figures, it was 55%.
However, the legally stipulated expansion target of at least 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030 will probably not be met until 2031, the industry association says. The target for 2035 of at least 40 GW, on the other hand, should be met a year earlier.
With Germany heading to the polls in early parliamentary elections later this month, Thimm said political predictability was vital. And, with the increasing importance of offshore wind power for energy supply, there is a growing need for better physical and cyber security to better protect critical maritime infrastructure.
