The VDMA, the largest association for machinery and equipment manufacturers in Europe, has joined other industry associations to warn European countries in general and Germany in particular that massive offshore wind power expansion projects need secure supply chains and skilled workforces if they are to succeed. Currently, Germany plans to create more than 20 GW of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030. The country reportedly had, as of June last year, a total installed wind power capacity of 7.7 GW, while the UK (ranked two in the world in terms of offshore wind capacity) had 13.6 GW and China (ranked first) had 24.85 GW.

“To achieve expansion targets by 2030, 22 [GW] must be installed offshore in Germany in less than eight years. In Europe, a total of around 150 GW of wind energy capacity is to be installed during this period,” highlighted VDMA Power Systems and sister industry associations BWE, BWO, Stiftung Offshore-Windenergie, WAB eV and WindEnergy Network eV, in a joint statement. “The industry therefore expects a significant increase from 2025 and especially towards the end of the 2030 expansion target, which requires industrial feasibility. A steady and even expansion path is needed to build stable supply chains and a future-oriented expansion of manufacturing capacities. The production capacities and skilled workers needed to achieve the expansion targets have been lacking to a substantial degree to date. A plan alone is not enough here. Together with politicians, we must immediately create a realistic basis for the implementation of the expansion targets for offshore wind energy for electricity and green hydrogen.”

During last year, Germany’s offshore wind energy capacity was increased by 342 MW when 38 wind turbines in the Kaskasi project were connected with the country’s grid. This meant that Germany ended the year with 1 539 offshore wind turbines with a total capacity of 8.1 GW. Further, last year also saw the installation of the foundations for all 27 wind turbines in the Arcadis Ost 1 project, while nine of these turbines were also installed. Arcadis Ost 1 is expected to be completed and commissioned this year.

This year will also see the tendering of 8.8 GW of offshore wind energy capacity by Germany. The projects to implement the successful tenders will start in 2028. Many German companies in the offshore wine energy supply chain are already busy with orders from projects in other countries. Yet the German government wants to further expand the country's offshore wind energy capacity to between 40 GW and 50 GW by 2035 and to at least 70 GW by 2045.

“The offshore wind industry needs a major training and qualification offensive supported by the German government, easy investment and financing conditions and the promotion of new production capacities that provide the necessary liquidity in the manufacturing industry, as well as international fair competitive conditions,” jointly urged the industry associations. “Europe must find a strong, joint response to the [protectionist] measures of the US Inflation Reduction Act in particular.”