The Waterkant offshore wind project in Germany today boasts progress alongside having some of the most powerful wind turbines. Luxcara, the German asset manager for the wind project has signed a contract for the supply of 130 kilometers inter-array aluminum cables from TKF. Dutch-based TKF is invested in supply of connectivity cables and will be responsible for the supply of the 66 kV inter-array cables.
Waterkant offshore wind project factsheet
Location: N-6.7 site, German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
Developer: Waterkant Energy GmbH
Asset manager: Luxcara
Capacity: 296 MW
Household supply: 400,000
Inter-array cable supplier: TKF (BV Twentsche Kabelfabriek)
Cable specs: 130 km of 66 kV inter-array aluminum cable
Wind turbine supplier: Ming Yang Smart Energy
Turbine units: 16, 18.5 MW offshore wind turbines
Transport and installation of turbines: Havfram
Turbine installation date: Spring, 2028
Project commissioning date: 2028
Latest progress at Germany’s Waterkant wind project
TKF’s inter-array aluminum cable supply contract will also involve the engineering and manufacturing aspects of the connectivity solutions. They will also test and deliver the 130 km cables to the Waterkant offshore wind project in Germany.
The 66 kV inter-array aluminum cables are a critical part of the German offshore wind project. Alongside its corresponding accessories, the cables will connect the Waterkant offshore wind farm to the Amprion’s converter platform.
This marks key progress to the Waterkant offshore wind project scheduled for connection to the national transmission grid in 2028.
More on the offshore wind project
Waterkant Energy GmbH won the right to build the 296 MW Waterkant offshore wind project on the N-6.7 site of the German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in 2023. Waterkant Energy GmbH was Luxcara’s bidding entity for the first German offshore wind project to also have a social and environmental criteria in its auction bid. Most project only have the financial aspect during bid auctions.
Alongside securing the project’s inter-array cable supply, Luxcara had also secured the supply of 16 units of one of the most powerful wind turbines in the world. The 18.5 MW offshore wind turbines supply agreement from Ming Yang was signed in July 2024. The 16 wind turbines will be installed in the German North Sea, approximately 90 km off Borkum island.
German-based Havfram will transport and install one of the most powerful offshore wind turbines at the Waterkant offshore wind farm in the spring of 2028. The schedule came right after the inking of the contract agreement with Luxcara in September of 2024. The advanced wind turbine installation vessels to be used by Havfram have been under construction, and will be delivered in the second half of 2025.
Offshore wind and Germany’s renewable energy transition
The Waterkant offshore wind project progress accelerates Germany’s 2030 renewable energy aspirations.
The county’s renewable energy transition comes in several facets. It is first looking to phase out the use of coal-fired power plants by 2030, and instead use more greener sources of energy. Germany also aims for 65% and 88% emission reduction by 2030 and 2040 as part of its renewable energy goals. The country’s Federal Climate Protection Act also states the achievement of greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045.
Germany’s growing wind power also has the bar set high. According to the German Wind Energy Association (BWE), as of end of 2023, onshore and offshore wind power accounted for 32% of Germany’s electricity production. By December of 2024, BWE’s statistical analysis showed that 1,639 offshore wind turbines had been installed by Germany. These cumulatively worked at a capacity of 9.2 GW. This is a good quantitative portion of Germany’s 30 GW and 70 GW wind power capacity goals by 2030 and 2045 respectively.
