Vattenfall has taken the final investment decision on the 1600MW Nordlicht cluster in Germany, with BASF securing long-term access to renewable electricity.
Construction of the Nordlicht 1 and 2 wind farms in the North Sea is due to begin in 2026 and they are expected to become operational in 2028.
Nordlicht 1 will have a capacity of 980MW, making it Germany’s largest offshore wind project, while Nordlicht 2 will have around 630MW.
Head of wind at Vattenfall Helene Biström said: “The Nordlicht offshore wind cluster makes a significant milestone in the path to enabling fossil freedom.
“By accelerating Germany’s energy transition and supporting industrial decarbonisation, it will provide clean, reliable energy while driving innovation and sustainability in the sector.
“We look forward to realising this important project in close collaboration with our supply chain partners.”
Vattenfall will repurchase the shares in the Nordlicht cluster that BASF acquired in 2024.
At the same time, BASF has secured access to long-term supply of renewable electricity, continuing the collaboration.
This agreement will secure renewable power for BASF’s chemical production in Europe at a time when such additional supply will be needed.
The Nordlicht cluster is located 85km north of the island of Borkum in the North Sea.
As part of Vattenfall’s sustainability efforts, both wind farms will feature wind turbine towers partially made with low-emission steel, reducing their overall carbon footprint by 16%.
Vattenfall and BASF have a conditional agreement with Vestas for the supply and installation of 112 V236-15MW turbines.
The final investment decision for Nordlicht 2 has been made on a conditional basis, pending the receipt of the necessary permit.