Ørsted’s Largest German Offshore Wind Farm Produces First Power

(Credit: Ørsted)

The Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm, jointly owned by Ørsted and Nuveen Infrastructure, has started delivering power to the German grid.

The 913 MW offshore wind farm delivered its first power to the grid on December 3, 2025.

The renewable electricity from Borkum Riffgrund 3 will, through several long-term corporate power purchase agreements (CPPAs), help industry and technology customers decarbonize their business.

The offshore wind farm is expected to be fully commissioned in the first quarter of 2026.

Borkum Riffgrund 3 is located about 72 km off the coast in the German North Sea and covers an area of approximately 75 km2. A total of 83 wind turbines, each with a rated capacity of 11 MW, have been installed at the offshore wind farm.

Furthermore, Borkum Riffgrund 3 is the first offshore wind farm to be built by Ørsted in Germany without an offshore substation (OSS). The new connection concept provides a direct connection between the wind turbines via a 66 kV connection to the DolWin epsilon offshore converter platform, installed and operated by the German transmission system operator, TenneT.

Borkum Riffgrund 3 is supported by several long-term CPPAs, which Ørsted signed with industrial and technology customers. Offtake agreements totaling 786 MW have been entered into with Amazon (350 MW), BASF (186 MW), Covestro (100 MW), Energie-Handels-Gesellschaft/REWE Group (100 MW), and Google (50 MW).

The contracts range from 10 to 25 years in duration. The agreements create long-term price security for the project developer and for the customers.

“Offshore wind will play a key role in securing European energy independence and manufacturing jobs. Borkum Riffgrund 3 is a prime example of both. The project has been constructed by European companies, creating local manufacturing jobs.

“And, once completed, it will produce the same amount of electricity that a large city uses every year, supporting European industry with a significant amount of green energy through CPPAs. At Ørsted, we’re proud to deliver the first electrons to the grid, and we look forward to having Borkum Riffgrund 3 fully up and running,” said Patrick Harnett, Chief Construction Officer at Ørsted.

“The generation of the first power at Borkum Riffgrund 3 is both a significant landmark for German offshore wind and our commitment to accelerating the EU energy transition. Our partnership with Ørsted will deliver 913 MW of clean energy to German households and European corporates making this project a new benchmark for decarbonization while also supporting long-term energy security for Germany and the EU,” added Jordi Francesch, Managing Director Renewable Energy Investments at Nuveen Infrastructure.