The Danish energy company Ørsted's Borkum Riffgrund III offshore wind farm complex has received planning approval from the German Federal Maritime and Hydrological Service (BSH). The 900MW wind power project will be built in Germany's North Sea Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Ørsted will develop the facility in conjunction with the 242MW Gode Wind III project, which the company received approval in April. Borkum Riffgrund III will be equipped with 83 wind turbines provided by Siemens Gamesa, each with a capacity of 11 MW. Located near the Borkum Riffgrund I and II wind farms.

Offshore wind power facilities are expected to come online in 2025, and Gode Wind III will be put into operation in 2024. Ørsted also obtained a power purchase agreement for the Borkum Riffgrund III project with a total capacity of 450MW. The final investment decision for these two projects is expected to be made by the end of 2021. BSH issued planning approval decisions based on Section 45 of the Offshore Wind Energy Act (WindSeeG) and Section 74 of the Administrative Procedure Act (VwVfG). The environmental impact assessment of the project will need to be carried out in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Law (UVPG). Keywords: engineering news, engineering construction

Ørsted signed an agreement to sell its 50% stake in Borkum Riffgrund III to Glennmont Partners, a British renewable energy fund management company. The total value of the transaction at the time of completion is estimated to be approximately 9 billion kronor (1.4 billion US dollars). This includes the price of ownership shares and the commitment to fund 50% of the payments under the project's engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract. The transaction is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2021 or the first quarter of next year. Editor/Xing Wentao