Germany’s Massive Offshore Wind Farm Takes Shape With First Turbine Installed
The He Dreiht project will be one of the world’s most powerful offshore wind farms—and it just hit a major milestone.
Germany’s push toward renewable energy just got a massive boost. The first wind turbine for EnBW He Dreiht, the country’s largest offshore wind farm currently under construction, has been successfully installed. This marks a critical step in a project that will eventually power over a million homes with clean energy.
“One rotation of these colossal turbines can generate enough electricity to supply four households for an entire day.”
The project relies on Vestas’ 15 MW turbines, the most powerful commercially available today. Each rotation of their massive blades produces enough energy to sustain four households for 24 hours—a testament to the staggering efficiency of modern wind technology. When fully operational, the farm’s 64 turbines will collectively generate 960 MW, supplying electricity to approximately 1.1 million households.
Scaling Up for a Renewable Future
He Dreiht is a cornerstone of EnBW’s ambitious strategy to expand its renewable energy capacity from 6.6 GW to over 10 GW by 2030. Unlike many of its peers, the company is funding this project independently—no small feat for an installation of this scale. Located 85 km northwest of Borkum and 110 km west of Helgoland, the wind farm is a logistical marvel, involving more than 500 workers and a fleet of 60+ specialized ships.
A consortium including Allianz Capital Partners, AIP, and Norges Bank Investment Management owns a 49.9% stake in the project, underscoring the growing private-sector interest in large-scale renewable infrastructure.
Engineering at Sea
The installation of the first turbine was no simple task. The components were loaded in Esbjerg, Denmark, before being transported and assembled using the heavy-lift vessel Wind Orca. This operation highlights the intricate coordination required to deploy offshore wind technology in challenging marine environments.
As Germany accelerates its energy transition, He Dreiht stands as a symbol of what’s possible when engineering ambition meets environmental urgency. Once completed, it won’t just be a power plant—it’ll be a blueprint for the future of offshore wind.
