Germany has approved the plans to construct the Firrel II wind project in Q2 of 2026, following calls to delay the nation’s next auction round for tenders of wind energy projects, as the last round ended with zero bids. Germany has become one of the most progressive nations in the world through its warm embrace of the renewable energy sector. While the nation is fostering a welcoming environment for energy companies, this year’s auction round for tenders for wind projects ended with zero bids, leading to calls to delay next year’s round.
The Firrel II wind project is set to begin construction work in the new year
The new Firrel II wind project is being developed by Energiequelle in collaboration with its partners, Helmetal eG and FEUER powerair. The wind farm will feature several state-of-the-art wind turbines that will be supplied to the project from turbine manufacturing king Nordex. The farm will be located in the municipality of Werther, in a tiny rural town called Bleicherode.
Each of the Nordex turbines will have a hub height of 164m and will boast a generating capacity of approximately 6.8 MW. Hopefully, this will deliver renewable electricity to approximately 15,000 households. Additionally, and some would say more importantly, the project will avoid around 37,000 tpy of CO2 equivalents, a necessity for decarbonizing the energy sector in Germany.
Seeing as the plans for the project started around 10 years ago, patience has been the name of the game for Germany. The application for the project was submitted under the Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG) in 2022, and following some extensive consideration, approval was given for the project in 2024, with expectations that the turbines would be commissioned in mid-2026.
“Both the municipalities and the landowners, as well as our co-operation partners, have shown great patience. The start of construction marks an important milestone and confirms that our trust in the project has paid off. – Maria Löther, Project Manager at Energiequelle GmbH in Erfurt
Energy Ministers have called for the delay of 2026’s wind tender auction
While progress is being made in the Firrel II wind project is a step in the right direction for Germany, some of the nation’s state energy ministers have called on the government to delay the country’s 2026 offshore wind power auctions. This, they say, will give energy companies more time to prepare their bids after a tender earlier this year ended without receiving a single bid from anyone.
Christian Meyer and Tobias Goldschmidt, energy ministers of Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein, respectively, have backed the proposed delay of the tender auction from February 2026 to the final quarter of the year, following extensive online debates which were hosted by offshore industry association BWO. Germany has big plans for its wind energy sector, as the nation is targeting 30 gigawatts of offshore wind turbine capacity by 2030.
The Firrel II wind project will boost the nation’s clean energy output, and the Nordex turbines are known for their efficiency. Nordex is currently developing the turbines for Germany’s 77 MW Schneifelhöhe wind project.
Germany will need to consider moving the next tender auction
The ministers have noted that if the German government and relevant energy institutions do not delay the next tender auction, they risk the same fate as the most recent one, which saw zero bids from energy firms. Despite all that, Germany’s proclivity for clean energy generation and usage has become all too clear in recent months, with the North Rhine–Westphalia wind project advancing towards commissioning. Whether or not the German government heeds the warnings to delay the next auction round is yet to be determined, but hopefully, the future of the German wind sector will remain strong.
