German wind power sector welcomes government offshore terminal funding

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – The German Offshore Wind Energy Foundation emphasized the significance of the government’s decision to provide financial support for the expansion of an offshore terminal in achieving the expansion objectives for offshore wind energy.

In a statement released late on Friday, the foundation expressed its approval of the government’s commitment to sharing the costs of enlarging the terminal located at the port of Cuxhaven, situated along the North Sea coast.

As per a government spokesperson on Saturday, the government, in collaboration with the state of Lower Saxony and the private port industry, has agreed to fund the expansion of the offshore terminal spanning 30 hectares (74 acres), at an estimated cost of approximately 300 million euros ($324.15 million).

Stefan Wenzel, parliamentary state secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, underscored, “The expansion of the Cuxhaven port is a pivotal initiative for advancing renewable energies.”

Germany’s BWE power association urged the government on Wednesday to factor in expansion expenses within its national ports strategy, aligning with the country’s energy transition objectives.

Transport Minister Volker Wissing affirmed earlier this week the federal government’s commitment to its obligations regarding ports, including financial support.

The German Offshore Wind Energy Foundation projected that by the end of the decade, an additional 200 hectares of heavy-duty area would be necessitated solely for erecting new offshore wind farms, equating to 270 football fields in size.