Vattenfall and BASF signed contracts with four suppliers for key components and installation services for Nordlicht 1 and 2 offshore wind farms.
Vattenfall and BASF have awarded four major contracts for the Nordlicht 1 and 2 offshore wind farms, which are located 85 kilometers north of the island of Borkum in the German North Sea. The contracts have been awarded to EEW Special Pipe Constructions (SPC), CS WIND Offshore, DEME, and Jan De Nul.
Catrin Jung, Head of Offshore Wind at Vattenfall, stated: “The award of these contracts marks an important milestone in the development of the Nordlicht cluster. We value our suppliers as true partners, whose exceptional expertise is essential for realising our vision of large-scale, fossil-free renewable energy in the German North Sea. The Nordlicht projects will play a crucial role in advancing the energy transition while supporting our sustainability goals. We look forward to working closely with our partners to bring these projects to fruition.”
These agreements mark a significant step in translating the Nordlicht vision into reality. By securing key components and services from trusted partners, the projects are now firmly on track to deliver clean energy to 1.7 million households1 and drive forward Germany’s renewable energy ambitions. Production of these key components is scheduled to begin in late 2025, pending the Final Investment Decision (FID).
Across all suppliers, a total of 112 key components, including monopiles and transition pieces, will be manufactured and installed to support the Nordlicht wind farms.
Monopiles of offshore wind turbines, © Jorrit Lousberg, Zeist, The Netherlands
Key contracts and scope of work
The suppliers
EEW Special Pipe Constructions GmbH (EEW SPC)
Monopile manufacturer
CS WIND Offshore
Manufacturer of offshore wind power foundations and transformer stations
DEME
Offshore energy, dredging, marine infrastructure, and environmental works
Jan De Nul
Offshore energy, dredging solutions, construction projects and planet Redevelopment
EEW SPC will manufacture the monopile foundations, processing approximately around 141,000 tons of steel at its Rostock site, their fifth offshore wind project for Vattenfall. The monopiles, each with a diameter of 10 meters, will provide the structural base for the Nordlicht turbines.
CS WIND Offshore will supply the transition pieces to connect the turbines to the monopiles. The company’s proven track record in offshore wind includes its recent collaboration with Vattenfall on the Vesterhav projects in Denmark.
DEME will manage the installation of the monopiles and transition pieces, using its state-of-the-art installation vessels to ensure precise and efficient foundation placement.
Jan De Nul has been contracted to install 196 kilometers of inter-array cables, connecting the turbines and ensuring optimal energy transmission within the wind farms. The company will deploy its advanced cable installation vessel, the Connector, for the task.
Pending final investment decisions in 2025, construction for Nordlicht 1 and 2 is set to begin in 2026, with full commissioning anticipated by 2028. In 2024, Vattenfall and BASF awarded contracts to Vestas for the supply of state-of-the-art wind turbines, Havfram for low-carbon transport and installation services, and TKF for the supply of inter-array cables.
Once operational, the wind farms will significantly contribute to Germany’s renewable energy capacity and Vattenfall’s goal of building a future where everyone can choose fossil free ways to move, make and live.
About Nordlicht 1 and 2
The Nordlicht wind farm area is located 85 kilometres north of the island of Borkum in the German North Sea and consists of two separate locations: Nordlicht 1 with a capacity of around 980 megawatts and Nordlicht 2 with around 630 megawatts. Once fully operational, electricity production is expected to total around 6 terawatt hours (TWh) per year.
BASF holds a 49 percent stake in the projects. Vattenfall is developing and building the Nordlicht sites and intends to use its share of future electricity generation to supply customers in Germany with fossil-free electricity. BASF will use almost half of the electricity to supply its chemical production sites in Europe, especially in Ludwigshafen.
1: Based on BDEW-Strompreisanalyse Juni 2021
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