RWE has reached a major construction milestone at its 1.6 GW Nordseecluster offshore wind project with the installation of the first turbine in the German North Sea, around 50 kilometres north of the island of Juist.
The installation is being carried out by DEME’s vessel Norse Wind as part of the first development phase, Nordseecluster A. By the end of 2026, all 44 Vestas turbines are expected to be installed. Each turbine will have a capacity of up to 15 MW, a hub height of 145 metres and rotor blades measuring 115 metres in length.
“The successful installation of the first turbine marks a significant milestone in the delivery of Nordseecluster, RWE’s largest offshore wind project currently under construction,” said Sven Utermöhlen, Chief Executive Officer Offshore Wind at RWE. “Once fully operational, our Nordseecluster will make an important contribution to Germany’s energy security while helping to decarbonise the industry.”
Nordseecluster A will have a total capacity of 660 MW and is expected to be fully connected to the grid in early 2027. The second phase, Nordseecluster B, will add a further 900 MW of capacity, with foundation installation scheduled to begin next year and turbine installation planned for 2028. Commercial operations are expected to commence in early 2029.
“The installation of the first turbine at Nordseecluster A marks an important milestone for both Vestas and RWE and underlines the strength of our long standing partnership,” said Damien Lhors, Head of Global Offshore at Vestas.
Once complete, the two wind farms will generate around 6.5 terawatt hours of renewable electricity annually, helping support Germany’s energy transition and industrial decarbonisation efforts. RWE has already secured a power purchase agreement with Amazon for 110 MW from Nordseecluster B.
Nordseecluster is jointly owned by RWE, which holds a 51 percent stake, and Norges Bank Investment Management with 49 percent. RWE remains responsible for construction and long term operation of the project.
