Germany’s First Offshore Wind Farm to Be Dismantled After Just 15 Years of Operation

From NoTrickZone

By P Gosselin

The Alpha Ventus offshore wind farm near German North Sea Island of Borkum is set to be dismantled after being in operation for only 15 years.

It has become too unprofitable to operate without massive subsidies.

Alpha Ventus is noted as being Germany’s first offshore wind farm. Construction works commenced in August 2007 and the first turbine was installed in July 2009. The pioneering wind farm was officially commissioned on April 27, 2010.

According to Blackout News, a decisive factor for dismantling the pioneer project is the expiration of generous subsidies made possible through Germany’s EEG renewable energies feed-in act. The subsidy meant that the Alpha Ventus wind farm got 15.4 cents per kilowatt hour after being put in operation. Now that the subsidy has run out, the wind farm operators receive only the basic tariff of 3.9 cents per kilowatt hour, thus making the farm unprofitable.

Another factor: the older Alpha Venus wind farm is being eclipsed by more modern, more efficient turbines.

Offshore wind farms have high costs

Overall, offshore wind farms are significantly more expensive to operate than onshore wind farms due increased maintenance costs, poor accessibility, harsh environments and the specialized equipment and personnel needed to conduct operational works.

Offshore wind farms are significantly more expensive to operate than onshore wind farms due to a combination of factors stemming from their challenging marine environment and remote locations.

Offshore turbines are exposed to corrosive saltwater, strong winds, large waves, and potential storms, which acts to accelerates wear and tear on components. This leads to more frequent failures and the need for more robust and expensive materials. 

And when turbines break down offshore, the time required to access, diagnose, and repair them is typically much longer than for onshore turbines due to weather limitations and logistical challenges. This results in more significant losses in electricity generation and revenue.