‘Binding Commitment’ | Germany Refuses to Let TotalEnergies Relinquish Rights for 1.5 GW Offshore Wind Site

Germany has rejected a request from TotalEnergies to return one of its offshore wind sites in the North Sea to the State, with the country’s economy minister underlining that a concession award constitutes a binding commitment, according to a Bloomberg report from 17 June.

The minister’s comment comes days after TotalEnergies confirmed it had been unable to reach an agreement with German authorities on the return of its concession for the site N-11.2, where the company has been developing its 1.5 GW NordseeEnergies 2 (NSE2) offshore wind project.

The French energy major launched a strategic review of its German offshore wind portfolio in 2025, citing rising costs, changing market conditions and delays and uncertainty surrounding grid connection timelines communicated by German transmission system operators (TSOs).

Following the review, TotalEnergies entered discussions with the German government regarding the potential return of the NSE2 concession, arguing that the project had been negatively affected by connection delays and uncertainty.

“These discussions have not yet been successful and in order to preserve its rights under the concession, the Company has submitted today the permit application for NSE2 and has honored the payment of the first 10% installment as per the license contract”, TotalEnergies said on 11 June.

The company added that it would pursue compensation for the impact of delays and uncertainty related to the project’s grid connection schedule.

Located approximately 120 kilometres northwest of Heligoland in the German North Sea, the 156-square-kilometre NSE2 site was awarded to TotalEnergies by Germany’s Federal Network Agency in 2024.

Despite the company’s intention to return the NSE2 concession rights, TotalEnergies said it remains committed to developing its other offshore wind projects in Germany and to expanding its integrated power business in the country.

The company secured several German offshore wind sites between 2023 and 2025, including the 2 GW NordSee Energies 1 (site N-12.1), the 1 GW site N-9.1 and the 1 GW site N-9.2, as well as a stake in the 1.5 GW WindBostel Ost project through its partnership with RWE. The company also holds rights for the 1 GW Ostsee Energies (OSE) project at the O-2.2 site in the German Baltic Sea.

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