The Federal Network Agency has opened the auction round for the non-pre examined lease areas, kicking off the largest offshore wind auction in the country to date. There are four sites included in the auction round, with a combined capacity of 7000 MW. Three of the sites are in the North Sea, with a capacity of 2000 MW each. The fourth site is in the Baltic Sea, with a capacity of 1000 MW. All the sites have an expected Commercial Operation Date (COD) in late 2030 and will help push Germany towards the goal of 30 GW installed offshore wind capacity by 2030.

The sites will be awarded using the newly implemented dynamic bidding system. In the first stage, bidders will submit values of required support for projects on the sites. If multiple developers submit requirements equal to zero cents per kilowatt hour, the round moves into the second stage. In the second stage, the winner will be selected based on the willingness to pay for the sites, with no cap on the amount.

The window for submitting bids for the areas will be open until June 1, 2023.

A second round for the centrally pre-examined sites is expected to open March 1, with 1800 MW on offer. The projects on these sites are expected to be developed quicker, with a COD in 2028.