Ocean Breeze to acquire Germany's 60MW alpha ventus offshore wind farm
The owner of the neighbouring BARD Offshore 1 project has agreed to buy Germany's pioneering offshore array from EWE, RWE and Vattenfall, and plans to run it beyond its original 20-year term.
Ocean Breeze Energy has agreed to acquire the 60MW alpha ventus offshore wind farm in the German North Sea from EWE, RWE and Vattenfall.
Vattenfall said the deal, for an undisclosed amount, is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year.
The 12-turbine project lies 45km north of Borkum and began operating in 2010, making it one of Germany's earliest offshore wind farms.
Ocean Breeze already owns and operates the neighbouring 400MW BARD Offshore 1 development. The company is 100% owned by funds managed by Macquarie Asset Management.
It intends to keep alpha ventus in operation beyond its planned 20-year term.
Operating experience
Ocean Breeze Energy managing director Jean Huby pointed to the company's track record at BARD Offshore 1.
"With BARD Offshore 1, we have over ten years of experience in optimizing offshore wind farms with a discontinued wind turbine technology and see considerable potential for the economic continued operation of alpha ventus," he said.
Huby added: "In this way, we want to continue the success story of alpha ventus and make maximum use of the potential of this pioneering project to make a positive contribution to the energy transition and climate neutrality."
Testing ground for offshore expertise
Jantje Bolduan, offshore manager at EWE, described alpha ventus as Germany's first offshore wind farm and said it had played a key role.
"The project was a unique testing and learning field for technologies, operation and maintenance concepts as well as the development of offshore expertise," she said.
Bolduan said the consortium had achieved its goals and gained knowledge that is still being incorporated into modern offshore wind projects.
