Germans issue offshore alert as WindSeeG debate starts
ReNews|Stephen Dunne|Oct 8, 2026
Germany's offshore wind industry, represented by BWO and other associations, is pushing for legislative changes in the Offshore Wind Energy Act (WindSeeG) to ensure better investment conditions and project delivery. They advocate for a single-stage CfD auction model to stabilize the supply chain and maintain industrial capacity, amid concerns over uncompleted auctions and potential job losses. The industry seeks to secure a reliable project pipeline to support around 49,000 jobs and possibly more, with parliamentary discussions ongoing to refine the auction
Germany's offshore wind industry, represented by BWO and other associations, is pushing for legislative changes in the Offshore Wind Energy Act (WindSeeG) to ensure better investment conditions and project delivery. They advocate for a single-stage CfD auction model to stabilize the supply chain and maintain industrial capacity, amid concerns over uncompleted auctions and potential job losses. The industry seeks to secure a reliable project pipeline to support around 49,000 jobs and possibly more, with parliamentary discussions ongoing to refine the auction
Industry calls for CfD-only auctions and safeguards for at-risk projects
Germany’s offshore wind industry faces a potential investment shortfall as the Bundestag begins its first reading of proposed amendments to the Offshore Wind Energy Act (WindSeeG).
The German Offshore Wind Energy Association (BWO) said the legislation must improve conditions for new investment and project delivery to prevent a breakdown across the supply chain.
The association added that no offshore wind auction has been successfully completed since June 2025, leaving manufacturers, ports, installation companies and maritime service providers facing uncertainty over future orders.
Together with energy association BDEW, IG Metall Küste and the German Seaports …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]Industry calls for CfD-only auctions and safeguards for at-risk projects
Germany’s offshore wind industry faces a potential investment shortfall as the Bundestag begins its first reading of proposed amendments to the Offshore Wind Energy Act (WindSeeG).
The German Offshore Wind Energy Association (BWO) said the legislation must improve conditions for new investment and project delivery to prevent a breakdown across the supply chain.
The association added that no offshore wind auction has been successfully completed since June 2025, leaving manufacturers, ports, installation companies and maritime service providers facing uncertainty over future orders.
Together with energy association BDEW, IG Metall Küste and the German Seaports Association (ZDS), BWO is calling for a single-stage contracts for difference (CfD) auction model with indexation and economically viable maximum bid values.
The proposed changes are intended to improve project bankability, reduce cost risks between award and commissioning, and attract more bidders to German offshore wind auctions.
The organisations are also seeking a mechanism allowing at-risk projects awarded in the 2023 to 2025 auction rounds to be returned and retendered.
They want financial securities for CfD awards capped at €100m per GW and a possible limit on the number of awards per bidder to be examined.
“The next few months are crucial for investment and industrial capacity in the offshore wind industry,” said BWO managing director Stefan Thimm.
“Companies must decide today whether to invest in factories, vessels and personnel.
“They need firm orders and a reliable project pipeline to do so.”
Thimm warned that Germany and Europe risk losing industrial capacity and well-paid jobs without a dependable flow of projects.
He said a CfD-only model with indexation and measures for existing projects at risk could help unlock investment and protect European industrial activity and employment.
The offshore wind sector currently supports around 49,000 jobs and could expand that figure significantly if the right framework is established, according to BWO.
The association stressed that the success of the revised auction system should ultimately be measured by whether awards translate into financeable projects, investment decisions, supply chain orders and completed offshore wind farms.
Following the first reading on 8 October, the draft legislation will be referred to parliamentary committees, with the Committee on Economic Affairs and Energy taking the lead.
An expert hearing on the WindSeeG is scheduled for November, ahead of further committee deliberations and the second and third readings in the Bundestag.
BWO is urging lawmakers to use the parliamentary process to establish conditions that enable investment and support the continued expansion of offshore wind in Germany.