Nordseewerke Struck by Delays in German Offshore Wind Development

Nordseewerke GmbH, one of German leading manufacturers of wind turbine foundations, has been bought by DSD Steel Group GmbH after filing for bankruptcy last year, due to a slowdown in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s energy shift plan.

After Chancellor’s announcement that Germany would begin a massive project to install 25,000 MW of offshore wind power by 2030, Nordseewerke increased its manufacturing and workforce capacity in 2011. Recently, the company suffered the consequences of being struck by the delays in German offshore wind development, Bloomberg writes.

Only a third of 750 Nordseewerke’s employees are still working with the company.

Tomas Marutz, the company’s managing director, said that German politicians didn’t succeed in providing the right circumstances for investors in order to achieve the country’s offshore wind energy target.

On encouraging statements from government officials, who say that offshore wind development will get on the right track, Mr. Marutz says: “We’re still being told that installations will pick up, but the question is when.”

[mappress]

Offshore WIND Staff, April 11, 2013; Image: siag