RWE has signed a contract with Steelwind Nordenham for the production of up to 300 monopile foundations for its offshore wind projects in Europe.
Steelwind will reserve capacity for 320,000 tonnes of steel at its Nordenham plant (pictured) over a period of 24 months from 2027 onwards in order to be able to produce around 200 monopile foundations.
The contract can be extended for a further 12 months and provides for an additional capacity of 160,000 tonnes of steel, which is equivalent to about 100 monopiles.
The foundations manufactured by Steelwind are to be used in offshore wind farms, which RWE plans to put into operation in Europe from the end of 2029.
In addition, the agreement provides that RWE will be able to use additional services from Steelwind, such as the supply of secondary steel structures or in the area of storage and logistics.
With this contract, RWE secures production capacities in a market that is characterised by scarce resources in the supply chain, the developer said.
RWE Offshore Wind chief financial officer Holger Himmel said: “Europe needs more offshore wind energy to achieve its ambitious climate targets.
“At RWE, we are making our contribution and resolutely driving forward the expansion of offshore wind energy in Europe and worldwide.
“Through the contract with Steelwind, we have not only secured production capacities for foundations, but have also taken a decisive step towards the successful implementation of our European offshore wind projects.
“Framework agreements like this are exactly what we need in view of the challenging market situation.”
Steelwind Nordenham managing director Jost Backhaus said: “This framework agreement is another forward-looking step. For us, but also for Germany and Europe, whose ambitious climate targets can only be achieved with a strong offshore wind contribution.
“The comprehensive cooperation with RWE also underlines our leading role in the production of offshore foundations made of Dillinger quality steel.”