Germany offshore wind and gas plant auctions

In early July 2026 Siemens Energy secured a large offshore wind contract as Germany began to relax the conditions attached to its "Südbonus" gas‑plant subsidy scheme. The move signaled a shift toward bolstering renewable capacity while retaining flexible, hydrogen‑ready gas generation.

By late July, official data showed Germany’s offshore wind fleet had exceeded 10 GW, with 84 new turbines adding 1.1 GW. The government pushed back its 30 GW offshore wind target to 2032 and called for reforms to the WindSeeG auction system, favouring indexed contracts‑for‑difference to lower revenue risk. At the same time, the Bundesnetzagentur launched its first auction for new gas‑fired plants that can serve as flexible backup for renewables, offering capacity payments for up to 4.5 GW over 15 years. These steps form part of a broader strategy to secure up to 9 GW of flexible capacity in 2026 and meet the climate‑neutrality goal for 2045.