Germany's offshore planning authority Bundesamt für Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie (BSH) is consulting on an update to its 2009 spatial planning for offshore wind sites in the North and Baltic Seas.
In the document, BSH referred to a draft framework for transmission system network expansion over the next two decades.
The transmission plan accommodates the expansion of Germany's offshore wind capacity to 35GW by 2035 and 40GW by 2040.
This gives BSH the foresight to identify the areas that could be used for offshore wind to meet these goals.
In one of its three scenarios that gives priority to climate protection, the BSH is even considering planning for up to 50GW of offshore wind.
With 7.5GW in operation at the end of 2019, Germany's current 2030 offshore wind target is 15GW.
A climate protection programme adopted by the federal government in October 2019 foresees the expansion target being increased to 20GW to 2030.
Beyond 2030 there is, as yet, no specific expansion target but the plans from BSH and the transmission operators suggest appetite will be high.
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