Permitting process starts for BorWin4 offshore wind grid connection in Germany

After filing the documents for the public planning procedure for the section of the BorWin4 offshore grid connection that lies in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in 2021, German transmission system operator Amprion has now announced that the approval process at the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) has started.

In the spring of 2021, Amprion submitted the documents for both DolWin4 and BorWin4 grid connections.

The documents have detailed the BorWin delta converter platform and the approximately 90-kilometre-long submarine cable system north of the 12-nautical-mile limit, with particular attention paid to the compatibility of the project with the safety of shipping and air traffic and the protection of the marine environment. 

Since 2021, the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency has been checking the documents for completeness, before initiating the public planning procedure, which has now begun.

The planning approval procedure involves the formal participation of the public, authorities and other stakeholders. 

Amprion, which is expecting feedback from the participation process in the next few weeks, aims to receive the planning approval decision for BorWin4 by the beginning of 2024 at the latest. 

The EEZ has a special feature compared to the other approval sections, according to the company. After receiving the decision, there is still an implementation process with a multi-stage approval procedure to go through. 

For the BorWin4 and DolWin4 projects, Amprion started the planning permitting process directly with the federal authorities after the transmission system operator (TSO) secured a waiver in 2020 allowing it to skip the regional planning procedure for the sections of the offshore grid connection systems between the North Sea coast (Hagermarsch) and the Emden area.

Amprion has already advanced the BorWin4 project to the point where the main suppliers have already been chosen.

The German TSO placed the main orders last year, with Siemens Energy and Dragados Offshore selected to supply the BorWin delta converter platform and Prysmian to deliver the submarine cables.

In July last year, Amprion started onshore construction work for the DolWin4 and BorWin4 offshore grid connection systems with a groundbreaking ceremony held on Norderney Island’s North Beach.

DolWin4 and BorWin4 are the first offshore grid connection systems to be developed by German transmission system operator Amprion

The two connections will be installed in parallel and are scheduled to begin operating in 2028.