The first wind turbine on the EnBW He Dreiht offshore wind farm has generated the first kilowatt-hour of electricity and has fed it into the grid.
Further turbines will gradually follow suit over the coming weeks. EnBW has so far built 27 out of a total of 64 wind turbines, which are all set to be commissioned by summer 2026.
Peter Heydecker, EnBW Board Member for Sustainable Generation Infrastructure, commented: “The first kilowatt-hour produced by our He Dreiht offshore wind farm marks a significant milestone for EnBW. Boasting a total output of 960 MW, He Dreiht is currently Germany’s largest offshore wind farm and a stunning example of how we are shaping the future of sustainable energy. EnBW has been planning, building, and operating offshore wind farms in Germany and Europe for over 15 years, playing a key role in helping to meet Germany’s climate change mitigation targets.”
Nils de Baar, President of Vestas Northern and Central Europe, the wind turbine manufacturer, explained: “The 15 MW turbine is a world first in terms of technology, setting new standards in offshore wind power. Its efficiency and performance enable a significant increase in energy yield per turbine. Wind energy has the ability to lower power prices, strengthen energy security, and bolster economic prosperity and we are delighted to be using our ground-breaking technology for the first time in collaboration with our partner EnBW.”
A single rotation of the rotor on the 15 MW wind turbine is enough to supply the equivalent of four households with electricity for a day. At a hub height of 142 m, the rotor with a diameter of 236 m sweeps through an area of 43 742 m2 per revolution – equivalent to the area of six football fields. By way of comparison, the output of the turbines installed by EnBW in 2010 on the EnBW Baltic 1 wind farm is 2.3 MW.
EnBW completed the internal wind farm cabling that connects all of the EnBW He Dreiht wind turbines in August 2025. The wind farm’s internal cabling was also connected to the converter platform, which is managed by the transmission system operator, TenneT. This is where the generated electricity will be concentrated, converted from alternating current into direct current (DC) and brought ashore using two high-voltage DC cables.
EnBW He Dreiht is capable of generating enough electricity to meet the needs of around 1.1 million households. The wind farm is being built about 85 km northwest of Borkum and 110 km west of Heligoland without state funding. The major project is being co-ordinated by EnBW’s offshore office in Hamburg, Germany.
A partner consortium made up of Allianz Capital Partners, AIP, and Norges Bank Investment Management owns 49.9% of the shares in He Dreiht. Around €2.4 billion are being invested in it.
For more news and technical articles from the global renewable industry, read the latest issue of Energy Global magazine.
Energy Global's autumn 2025 issue
Explore the latest insights into the renewable energy sector in the autumn issue of Energy Global, out now! This edition features a regional report on the Asia Pacific from Aurora Energy Research, mapping out why the wholesale price cap is detrimental to the energy transition in India. The issue then delves into articles covering crucial topics such as digitalisation in renewables, inspection & maintenance, developments in floating offshore wind, coatings, solar optimisation and more. Contributors include Flotation Energy, DNV, Sarens, Neuman & Esser, Teknos, and more, so this issue is not one to miss!