#377 German Offshore Wind and the Mudflats of the Wadden Sea

Germany needs 70GW of offshore wind power connected to its grid by 2045, part of an estimated 300GW total capacity by 2050 for all of the nations bordering the North Sea. To achieve that ambitious goal it needs to run power cables through the Wadden Sea, the world’s largest system of intertidal sands and mudflats. The area is difficult to work within due to its dynamic environment, sensitive habitats, and bird nesting locations contributing to its World Heritage site status.

The North Sea itself is no picnic, and extensive surveys need to be carried out, and actioned, at a pace unthinkable without the use of cutting edge technology and clever programme management. Beyond the challenging offshore conditions, developers must navigate competing uses of sea, including shipping routes, military practice areas and other designated use areas. This work can be carried out throughout the year with special rigs, uncrewed surface vessels and remotely operated vehicles. The resulting data is collated and analysed through cloud-based platforms and advanced AI tools to provide the optimal routes for power cables. The routes are refined and optimised as new survey information becomes available and additional sea-use constraints are introduced by the government and the market.

In this episode Fugro, along with German grid operator TenneT, set out the challenges of working in the narrow German economic zone, as the industry races to meet these connection requirements ahead of a volatile geopolitical situation, and the hungry grid of Europe’s industrial powerhouse.

Guests

Dr Anja Drews, Lead – Lead Offshore Route Engineering, TenneT

Mathias Drücker, Senior Advisor for Political Affairs, TenneT

Tony Greig, Solution Owner – Offshore Power Cables, Fugro

Connor Schulze, Business Operations Manager, Marine Cables and Hydrography, Fugro

Resources

For more information on Target Grid, TenneT’s vision for the electricity grid of 2045, click here

For more information on the Wadden Sea World Heritage site, click here

For more information on the WaveWalker mentioned in this episode, see episode #233 Rebuilding the Dawlish Sea Wall