Germany to Use Chinese Wind Turbines in Offshore Wind Farms for the First Time

TapTechNews July 7, it is planned that Germany will use Chinese-made wind turbines for the first time in its North Sea offshore wind farms.

The Hamburg clean energy asset management company Luxcara signed a preferred supplier agreement with the Chinese company Ming Yang Smart Energy, which will provide 16 of the world's most powerful offshore wind turbines for the Waterkant offshore wind farm, with each turbine having a capacity of up to 18.5 megawatts. The rotor diameter of these huge fans is 260 meters (about 853 feet), and after completion, the Waterkant wind farm will be able to provide clean electricity to approximately 400,000 households.

TapTechNews noted that Luxcara launched an international tender at the end of 2023 and emphasized when choosing Ming Yang's turbines that the decision was based on strict due diligence, covering the supply chain, environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) in line with EU taxonomy standards, and a cyber security assessment provided by a well-known international consulting firm.

However, a spokesman for the German Ministry of Economics told Reuters that a closer review will be conducted on the German offshore wind farms using Chinese wind turbines, focusing on issues of security and competition. The spokesman said that the federal government will closely monitor this decision, considering on the one hand the issue of critical infrastructure and on the other hand maintaining a fair and competitive market environment.

Germany has set a goal to achieve 80% clean electricity by 2030.