Michelle Lewis | Apr 28 2025 – 4:03 pm PT
Photo: EnBW
Germany’s largest offshore wind farm under construction, EnBW’s He Dreiht, just hit a big milestone: The first enormous turbine is now up in the North Sea.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?gdpr=0&us_privacy=1—&gpp_sid=-1&client=ca-pub-9817249230503449&output=html&h=280&slotname=8636871716&adk=3152116902&adf=4264061182&pi=t.ma~as.8636871716&w=472&abgtt=7&fwrn=4&fwrnh=100&lmt=1745907563&rafmt=1&format=472×280&url=https%3A%2F%2Felectrek.co%2F2025%2F04%2F28%2Fthe-first-giant-15-mw-turbine-is-up-at-germanys-largest-offshore-wind-farm%2F&host=ca-host-pub-5506057612223327&fwr=0&fwrattr=true&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&wgl=1&dt=1745907563625&bpp=1&bdt=2527&idt=170&shv=r20250424&mjsv=m202504240101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie_enabled=1&eoidce=1&prev_fmts=0x0&nras=1&correlator=8222514053892&frm=20&pv=1&u_tz=-240&u_his=1&u_h=1081&u_w=504&u_ah=1081&u_aw=504&u_cd=24&u_sd=2.857&adx=16&ady=872&biw=504&bih=862&scr_x=0&scr_y=0&eid=95358862%2C95358864%2C95332587%2C95358975%2C95359117&oid=2&pvsid=2562845435939518&tmod=1196446001&uas=0&nvt=1&fc=1920&brdim=0%2C100%2C0%2C100%2C504%2C0%2C514%2C1011%2C504%2C862&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7CeEbr%7C&abl=CS&pfx=0&fu=128&bc=31&bz=1.02&ifi=2&uci=a!2&btvi=1&fsb=1&dtd=191
He Dreiht – which means “it spins” in Low German – is using Vestas’s massive 15 megawatt (MW) turbines, the first project in the world to install them. Just one spin of one of the rotors can generate enough electricity to power four households for an entire day.
When it’s finished, He Dreiht will have 64 mega turbines cranking out 960 megawatts (MW) of clean power – enough to supply around 1.1 million homes. And it’s being built without any government subsidies.
EnBW, one of Germany’s major energy companies, has been working in offshore wind for more than 15 years, but He Dreiht is their biggest project yet. “It will play a key role in helping us to significantly grow our renewable energy output from 6.6 GW to over 10 GW by 2030,” said Michael Class, who heads up EnBW’s generation portfolio development.
The project is a win for Vestas, too. “With the installation of the first V236-15.0 MW, we have reached an important milestone for both the He Dreiht project and our offshore ramp-up, which helps Germany build a more secure, affordable, and sustainable energy system,” said Nils de Baar, president of Vestas Northern & Central Europe.
He Dreiht is located about 85 kilometers (53 miles) northwest of Borkum and 110 kilometers (68 miles) west of Helgoland. At peak times, more than 500 workers will be out at sea building the farm, using a fleet of more than 60 ships. EnBW’s offshore team in Hamburg is running the show.
The installation process is a major operation. The 64 foundations were already set in the seabed last year. Parts for the turbines are loaded onto the installation vessel Wind Orca in Esbjerg, Denmark, and shipped out in a 12-hour journey to the construction site. From there, the turbines are lifted into place. Meanwhile, crews are also working on internal wind farm cabling.
A partner consortium made up of Allianz Capital Partners, AIP, and Norges Bank Investment Management owns 49.9% of the shares in He Dreiht.
Read more: Trump admin halts $5 billion NY offshore wind project mid-build
To limit power outages and make your home more resilient, consider going solar with a battery storage system. In order to find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check outEnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and you share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get startedhere. –trusted affiliate link*
Add Electrek to your Google News feed.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
from Electrek
- New York lawmakers are trying to shut down Tesla stores
Fred LambertApr 28 2025
- Meet CudaJet: An all-electric underwater jetpack propelling sea exploration down 40 meters
Scooter DollApr 28 2025
- Jeep, Dodge maker validates ‘breakthrough’ solid-state EV batteries coming in 2026
Peter JohnsonApr 28 2025
- NIU KQi 200F launched as new smart electric scooter with folding handlebars
Micah TollApr 28 2025
Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast.
Guides
Electrek Green Energy BriefElectrek Green Energy Brief: A daily technical, …
EGEBOffshore wind powerGermanyVestas
Author
Michelle Lewis is a writer and editor on Electrek and an editor on DroneDJ, 9to5Mac, and 9to5Google. She lives in White River Junction, Vermont. She has previously worked for Fast Company, the Guardian, News Deeply, Time, and others. Message Michelle on Twitter or at michelle@9to5mac.com. Check out her personal blog.
Michelle Lewis’s favorite gear
MacBook Air Light, durable, quick: I’ll never go back.
NordVPN Because I don’t want to wait for the best of British TV. https://get.s-onetag.com/underground-sync-portal/Portal.html
R.M.P Marotta Long Island 
Leave a comment