National Test Field Offshore Wind Energy

National Test Field Offshore Wind Energy (NaT-Off)

Background

With the Climate Protection Plan 2050, the Federal Government has confirmed and further specified its ambitious national climate protection targets. Germany's long-term goal is to become largely greenhouse gas neutral by 2050. In order to achieve the climate protection targets, the Federal Government has increased the target for the share of renewable energies in the coalition agreement to 65% by 2030. These targets cannot be achieved without a significant share of offshore wind energy in electricity generation.

In order to implement the necessary further technological developments and cost reduction potentials and to secure and expand Germany's leading technological role in this sector, test areas must be made available for testing and demonstrating offshore wind turbines, foundation structures and other components. Examples in other industry sectors have shown that test and demonstration infrastructure often entails the establishment of production facilities.

Project objectives and focus areas

Within the scope of the project, the current testing and demonstration needs in the industry are to be determined by various measures. In addition to the need for the development of innovative and powerful WTGs, the need for test facilities for innovative foundation structures, components, logistics concepts and grid connection technologies also plays a decisive role. The next step is to identify the rights and obligations of the individual participants. A further challenge is the selection of an operator or an operator consortium for the later operation of the test field. For this purpose, an appropriate operator concept with criteria for operator selection must be developed.

As in the alpha ventus test field, accompanying research will also take place in the new test field in cooperation between industry and research institutions. In addition to new WTG types, logistics concepts, new installation procedures, innovative rotor blade designs and other components will also be tested. A corresponding concept will be developed in the project applied for. As with all major projects, acceptance plays a major role in a national test field of this size. In order to ensure this, an acceptance concept will also be drawn up.

Project period and funding

The project has a duration of 4 years (March 2019 - February 2023) and is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi).

Contact persons

Dr. Stephanie Wehkamp (s.wehkamp@offshore-stiftung.de)

> You can find more information on the project website

 

National Test Field Offshore Wind Energy (NaT-Off)

Supported by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action on the basis of a decision by the German Bundestag