DONG Energy has decided to build the German offshore wind farm Borkum Riffgrund 2, which is expected to be fully commissioned in the first half of 2019. With this decision, DONG Energy will reach 6.7 GW of installed offshore wind capacity, exceeding the 2020 target of 6.5 GW installed capacity.

Borkum Riffgrund 2 will have a total export capacity of 450 MW, and will feature the largest wind turbines in German waters: 56 units of MHI Vestas’ 8-MW wind turbines with rotor spans of 164 meters. The offshore wind farm will supply CO2-free power corresponding to the annual electricity consumption of approximately 460,000 German households.

“Offshore wind is a significant contribution to the German energy transition, and Borkum Riffgrund 2 confirms DONG Energy’s position as one of the major investors in the renewable energy infrastructure in Germany,” said Samuel Leupold, Executive Vice President and Head of Wind Power in DONG Energy. “The 8-MW turbine takes offshore wind efficiency a further step forward, and the size of the Borkum Riffgrund 2 project is yet another indication of market maturity. We’ll continue our relentless efforts to drive down the cost of electricity from offshore wind.”

Trine Borum Bojsen, Country Manager of DONG Energy Wind Power Germany, added: “With Borkum Riffgrund 2, we’ll start the construction of our fourth offshore wind farm in Germany. After completion of Borkum Riffgrund 2, DONG Energy will have installed approximately 1.35 GW of offshore wind in German waters and supply power to 1.4 million households.”