alpha ventus
OperationalOffshore GridDE62 MW110 kV66 km2009
Basic information
8 fieldsAlso Known As
NOR-2-1
Status
operational
Capacity
62 MW
Owners
Project Company
Type
offshore grid
Transmission Model
TSO Build & Own
Website
Supply Chain (4)
Project Timeline (17)
2028Decommissioning Start
Vattenfall, RWE, and EWE issued a tender in November 2025 for decommissioning services at the Alpha Ventus offshore wind farm, covering dismantling and transport to shore of all 12 turbine foundations, the offshore substation jacket and topside, and recovery of inter-array cables and related protection systems, with offshore decommissioning works expected to commence from 2027 or 2028, including options for cutting and potentially removing the export cable at the offshore substation.
Apr 2010Commercial Operations Full Power
alpha ventus, Germany's first offshore wind farm, was commissioned in April 2010. The 60 MW wind farm, operated by the DOTI consortium (EWE, E.ON, Vattenfall), comprises 12 turbines of 5 MW each located approximately 60 km from the coast in 30 metres water depth. The grid connection transmits power via a submarine cable to the onshore grid. Construction took approximately 12 months, described as a pioneering feat given the challenging location.
2009Onss Commissioned
alpha ventus grid connection system commissioned and operational.
Nov 2009System Testing
In November 2009, following completion of construction at alpha ventus, calibration and test operations were carried out prior to the project’s official commissioning in April 2010, marking the system testing phase for the wind farm and its associated grid connection.
~Apr 2009Cable Installation Complete
Between spring and autumn 2009, the submarine export cable for alpha ventus was connected, completing installation and terminating the offshore and onshore ends of the 110 kV cable system that carries electricity from the offshore transformer station to the German grid.
Aug 2009First Power
In August 2009, following installation and energisation of the offshore transformer station and export cable, alpha ventus achieved first grid feed-in, exporting initial electricity from the offshore wind farm through its HVAC grid connection to the German onshore network as part of calibration and trial operations.
~Jul 2008Cable Installation Start
During summer and autumn 2008, installation of the submarine export cable for alpha ventus commenced, with the first laying campaign placing the approximately 60 km undersea power cable that links the offshore transformer station to the mainland via the island of Norderney.
~Jul 2008Onshore Construction Start
In summer/autumn 2008, preparation works for the grid connection of alpha ventus began onshore, initiating construction activities needed to integrate the offshore export cable into the mainland grid infrastructure where the power is ultimately fed into the German high-voltage network.
Sept 2008Construction Other
In September 2008, the offshore transformer substation platform for the alpha ventus test field was constructed, providing the key offshore grid infrastructure needed to connect the project to the onshore network. This substation construction milestone in 2008 formed part of the wider alpha ventus development sequence summarised by the project’s promoters.
Jul 2008Manufacturing Update
By July 2008, the submarine cable for the alpha ventus grid connection had been manufactured and delivered to the port of Wilhelmshaven, ready for installation as the export link between the offshore transformer station and the German mainland grid.