Offshore wind power/Germany: BWO proposal to voluntarily return allocated sites and to renew tenders

On 20/05/2026, the German Offshore Wind Energy Association (BWO) called for a transitional legal mechanism to enable the voluntary return of allocated offshore wind sites and the renewal of tenders.

"The aim is to clarify potential cases of non-completion as soon as possible, in order to avoid years of sites and grid connection capacities being blocked", it states.

The BWO's proposal relates to projects awarded between 2023 and 2025 that have not yet been the subject of a final investment decision (FID). It provides for the voluntary return of auctioned permits within four weeks of the regulations coming into force. Auctions conducted during this period included very high redevances, and no longer included price support mechanisms such as CfDs.

The sites could then be returned under the new auction rules from 2027, possibly via a specific call for tenders. Companies returning a site would not be able to submit a new bid for the same sites and would have to provide the public authorities with preliminary studies and data relating to the project.

While payments relating to…