RWE Innogy, a unit of German utility RWE AG (NasdaqGS: RWE), announced that it has acquired the rights to build the largest planned offshore wind farm off the German coast with an anticipated 960 megawatts (MW) capacity.
RWE gained the rights through its purchase of ENOVA Energieanlagen GmbH, which is part of the ENOVA Group.
Following the acquisition, the wind farm–currently called North Sea Windpower 3 (NSWP3)–will be renamed Innogy Nordsee 1.
RWE Innogy and ENOVA expect to receive the approval by the end of 2009; initial preparations could then start in 2010. The first wind turbines should start running as early as 2011. The whole wind farm is expected to be completed in 2015. The total investment for the project is around EUR 2.8 billion.
Dr. Juergen Grossmann, CEO of RWE AG said, “Some 1,000 megawatts of windpower on the high seas–that is the largest single project RWE has undertaken so far in the area of renewables. Even in these times of economic crisis, RWE Innogy is consciously stepping up its investment pace.”
By 2012, RWE wants to have secured a power generation capacity of around 4,500 MW on the basis of renewables.
Innogy Nordsee 1 is to be built 40 kilometres north of the North Sea island of Juist in water which is 26 to 34 meters deep. 150 to 180 wind turbines with a capacity of 5 or 6 MW each are planned for the wind farm.
At the beginning of November, RWE Innogy acquired 50% in the British offshore wind farm Greater Gabbard, which will have a capacity of a total of 500 MW after its completion, which is anticipated for 2011. The company also runs the 60 MW offshore wind farm in North Hoyle off the coast of Wales and is building the 90 MW Rhyl Flats wind farm, which is also off the coast of Wales.
The planned offshore wind farm Gwynt y Môr will be one of the largest of its kind in the world with a capacity of 750 MW.
In the Netherlands, RWE Innogy is applying for a licence for a production capacity of 2,000 MW at two locations which are of particular economic interest.
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