- 112 V236-15.0 MW turbines to power 1.6M homes from 2028
- Construction of Nordlicht 1 and 2 starts in 2026, fully operational by 2028
- Low-emission steel reduces towers' CO2 footprint by 16%
- Nordlicht wind farms to produce 6 TWh/year
Project Overview
Vattenfall and BASF have signed contracts with Vestas for 112 V236-15.0 MW wind turbines for the Nordlicht 1 and 2 offshore wind projects in the German North Sea. These turbines will generate electricity for 1.6 million households starting from 2028.
Construction and Timeline
The Nordlicht wind farm area, located 85 kilometers north of Borkum, consists of two sites: Nordlicht 1 with 68 turbines and Nordlicht 2 with 44 turbines. Construction is set to begin in 2026, with turbines erected in 2027 and 2028. The wind farms are expected to be fully operational by 2028, producing around 6 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity annually.
Low-Emission Steel
Parts of the wind turbine towers will be made with low-emission steel, reducing the carbon footprint by 16%. This steel is produced using 100% steel scrap melted in an electric arc furnace powered by wind energy, cutting the carbon footprint by 66% compared to conventional methods.
Partnership and Investment
BASF holds a 49% stake in the Nordlicht projects, which are being developed without state subsidies. With a total installed capacity of 1.6 gigawatts, this is Vattenfall's largest offshore wind project to date. Vattenfall will use its share of the electricity to supply fossil-free power to customers in Germany, while BASF will use nearly half of the electricity for its chemical production sites in Europe, particularly in Ludwigshafen.
