BP's German offshore wind projects on hold
An investigation reports that two major North Sea projects are effectively stalled, while BP says no final decision has been made.
Germany's energy transition may be facing a fresh setback. According to an investigation by NDR and WDR, work on two offshore wind farms operated by the joint venture Jera Nex BP has been almost entirely stalled for months, but the company denies that the projects have been definitively abandoned.
The projects are Oceanbeat East and Oceanbeat West in the German North Sea. Jera Nex BP was awarded the rights to the two areas in 2023 after bidding almost €6.8 billion. Together, the wind farms would have around four gigawatts of capacity.
NDR and WDR report that the operations team in Hamburg has largely been dismantled and that no turbines, foundations or installation vessels have yet been ordered. No contracts have reportedly been signed for the sale of the electricity either. Jera Nex BP says various options are being examined and that the company has made no final decision not to build the projects.
The possible delay affects Germany's targets for offshore wind energy. German law sets targets of at least 30 gigawatts of connected offshore capacity by 2030, 40 gigawatts by 2035 and 70 gigawatts by 2045. The independent Offshore Wind Energy Foundation reports that Germany had around 10.8 gigawatts of operational capacity in mid-2026 and that, because of delays, the 2030 target is already no longer achievable on time.
The electricity grid also plays a role in the plans. Grid operator TenneT is working on connections for the areas and warns that valuable grid capacity could remain unused for years if projects are not delivered on time. The German government is therefore working on rules that would require developers to provide clarity earlier on the feasibility of their projects.
The possible consequences for electricity prices are less certain. According to industry insiders consulted by NDR, WDR and the Süddeutsche Zeitung, each missing gigawatt of offshore wind could raise the wholesale price by hundreds of millions of euros a year. That is an estimate by experts involved in the sector, not an official price forecast or a certain consequence of the BP project.
The issue illustrates a policy dilemma. The government wants to build large amounts of renewable electricity quickly, but high bids, rising construction costs, grid constraints and uncertainty about future electricity prices make projects financially vulnerable. At the beginning of September, the government announced draft legislation to make the expansion of offshore wind more cost-efficient and reliable; whether those measures will be enough to retain investors remains unclear.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Two German offshore wind projects operated by Jera Nex BP are, according to journalistic investigations, largely stalled.
- The company says no final decision has been made to abandon them.
- Germany has statutory targets for 2030, 2035 and 2045.
- The government is working on new rules for offshore wind energy.
Left
Arguments The government should hold developers to their climate obligations and protect public grid investments. If companies withdraw after making high bids, it makes sense to examine stricter construction obligations and public alternatives.
Values A rapid climate transition, public leadership and affordable energy in the long term.
Consequences Greater government intervention could prevent delays, but may require additional public funding and create risks for taxpayers.
Centre
Arguments The rules should make investment reliable without artificially keeping projects afloat. Early clarity, better planning of grid connections and realistic auctions could bring government and the market closer together.
Values Feasibility, cost-efficiency and predictable policy.
Consequences An adjusted market framework could attract new bidders, but would probably not deliver additional wind capacity immediately.
Right
Arguments The government has for too long placed the costs and risks of offshore wind on companies and consumers. If projects are not financially viable, Germany should phase back its targets and leave more room for other energy sources.
Values Affordability, market forces and restraint in the use of subsidies.
Consequences Less pressure on investors could limit prices and public risks, but would make it harder to meet climate and energy independence targets.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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The text distinguishes confirmed project details from journalistic findings and industry estimates. Jera Nex BP's response is explicitly included, so a definitive project cancellation is not presented as fact.
- confirmed Jera Nex BP is working on the Oceanbeat East and Oceanbeat West projects in the German North Sea. — NDR describes both projects and the involvement of the BP joint venture. source
- confirmed The projects have a combined capacity of around four gigawatts and BP paid almost €6.8 billion for the areas. — These figures appear in the NDR investigation. source
- confirmed Germany had around 10.8 gigawatts of offshore capacity in operation in mid-2026. — Data from the German Offshore Wind Energy Foundation. source
- confirmed Germany's targets are 30 gigawatts in 2030, 40 gigawatts in 2035 and 70 gigawatts in 2045. — The targets appear on the German offshore wind foundation's factsheet. source
- confirmed Jera Nex BP says no final decision has been made not to build the projects. — NDR quotes the company's response. source
- confirmed In September, the German government presented draft legislation to optimise and safeguard the expansion of offshore wind energy. — Press release from the German Ministry of Economic Affairs. source
Editor's note
The stalling of the projects is based on investigations by NDR and WDR; Jera Nex BP says no final decision has been made. The possible effects on prices are industry estimates and are not presented as certain.Sources
- BP stopt mogelijk met offshoreprojecten in de Noordzee — NDR
- Status of Offshore Wind Energy Development in Germany — German Offshore Wind Energy Foundation
- Duitse regering presenteert wetsvoorstellen voor windenergie op zee — Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie
More on this in Dutch media
- RTL Nieuws — „offshorewind duitsland”
- FD — „offshorewind duitsland”
- AD — „offshorewind duitsland”