"Der Bau von Windparks auf See rechnet sich nicht mehr" - Karina Würtz (Klima-Labor)

·38 min·3 clips

The price for a German offshore wind farm area plummeted from two billion to 180 million euros in two years.

The episode begins by highlighting a dramatic shift in Germany's offshore wind sector: a recent auction saw a one-gigawatt North Sea area sell for just 180 million euros, down from two billion euros two years prior. Host Christian Herrmann introduces Karina Würtz, managing director of the Stiftung Offshore Windenergie, to analyze this crisis. Würtz identifies three main causes: a 40% increase in steel costs since the Ukraine war, revised electricity price forecasts that are now lower due to the solar boom, and planned reliance on cheaper Chinese components that may be banned over security concerns. She details how Chinese turbine manufacturers like Mingyang offer prices 15-30% lower than European rivals like Vestas and Siemens Gamesa, but German authorities fear remote sabotage and espionage. The discussion turns to broader market issues, including the 'merit order' electricity pricing model that depresses prices when renewable output is high. Würtz advocates for a 'contract for difference' model, used in the UK, where operators get a guaranteed price, sharing profits and losses with the state. She expresses skepticism about Germany's expansion targets of 30 gigawatts by 2030 and 70 by 2045, noting that auction disinterest is also seen in Denmark, the US, and Britain. Other challenges include limited German sea space causing turbine 'shading', port capacity shortages, and job losses from past policy shifts. Würtz argues offshore wind remains essential to complement solar, especially in winter, but requires urgent policy fixes. The interview concludes with her hope that new political leadership will learn from European neighbors to revive the sector.

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