Full Breakdown
Ørsted and Nuveen Bring Germany’s Borkum Riffgrund 3 Offshore Wind Farm Into Commercial Operation
8/31/2026, 11:38:25 AM
Commissioning of the Project
Ørsted A/S and Nuveen Infrastructure have moved their jointly owned offshore wind farm Borkum Riffgrund 3 into commercial operation in 2026. The facility, located about 72 km off the German North Sea coast, now delivers renewable electricity at a rated capacity of 913 MW, making it one of the largest offshore wind farms currently operating in Germany.
Program Background
The new farm is the sixth Ørsted-owned offshore wind installation in Germany and follows the 253 MW Gode Wind 3 project, which entered service in early 2025. Borkum Riffgrund 3 advances Ørsted’s broader 8.1 GW offshore wind construction programme, a pipeline that will raise the company’s total offshore capacity to more than 18 GW once completed. Ørsted already accounts for roughly 25 % of Germany’s installed offshore wind capacity.
Core Specifications and Statistics
- Installed capacity: 913 MW
- Turbines: 83 units, each rated at 11 MW
- Site area: approximately 75 km²
- Distance from shore: ~72 km
- Power purchase agreements (PPAs): 786 MW contracted to Amazon (350 MW), BASF (186 MW), Covestro (100 MW), Energie-Handels-Gesellschaft/REWE Group (100 MW), and Google (50 MW) with terms ranging from 10 to 25 years.
- Household equivalence: The added capacity raises Ørsted’s German offshore portfolio to about 2.5 GW, enough to supply roughly 2.5 million German households with renewable electricity.
Impact on German Energy Security
Official statements from Ørsted emphasize that the farm strengthens Germany’s energy independence by delivering reliable, home-grown power to industrial and technology sectors. The long-term PPAs are presented as a means to reduce reliance on fossil-fuel-based backup generation and to support the country’s transition to a renewable-dominant electricity mix.
Supply-Chain and Local Economic Contributions
Construction mobilised a broad European supply chain: turbine generators and foundations were sourced from Germany and Denmark; power cables came from Germany and France; installation vessels were provided by the Netherlands and Belgium. Approximately 100 German companies participated in the build, and operation and maintenance are coordinated from the Lower Saxony ports of Norden-Norddeich and Emden, leveraging existing offshore wind infrastructure.
Partner Profile – Nuveen Infrastructure
Nuveen Infrastructure, a global infrastructure investment manager, reported assets under management of USD 1.4 trillion as of June 30, 2026. The firm’s involvement underscores the growing role of institutional capital in scaling European offshore wind projects.
Outlook and Future Developments
The commissioning of Borkum Riffgrund 3 aligns with Germany’s broader strategy to expand domestic renewable generation and reduce exposure to external energy supplies. Ørsted’s ongoing construction programme and its partnership model with investors such as Nuveen suggest continued growth in offshore capacity, further integrating renewable power into the German grid and supporting long-term climate objectives.
