Vattenfall has launched the qualification phase for decommissioning of the Alpha Ventus offshore wind farm, marking a major step toward dismantling Germany’s pioneering commercial-scale offshore project. The company, which announced plans to decommission the site in May 2025, is now moving ahead with efforts to identify suitable partners for the complex offshore removal campaign.
The company announced that it is seeking qualified contractors and consortia to participate in a multi-year decommissioning program, expected to start in 2027, covering the removal of turbines, foundations, inter-array cabling and associated offshore infrastructure. The qualification phase is designed to identify partners with proven offshore experience, strong safety performance and robust environmental management capabilities.
Alpha Ventus, located in the North Sea about 45 kilometres north of Borkum, comprises six Adwen AD 5-116 and six Senvion 5M wind turbines, and was commissioned in 2010 as Germany’s first offshore wind test and demonstration farm. Developed by a consortium including Vattenfall and EWE, the 60 MW project has played a key role in testing turbine technologies and installation methods under harsh offshore conditions, and has provided data that helped shape Germany’s offshore wind standards.
The upcoming decommissioning will be treated as carefully as the original construction phase, with a focus on minimising environmental impact, ensuring safety for offshore personnel and optimising the reuse and recycling of materials. Lessons learned from Alpha Ventus’ dismantling will feed back into the design and life-cycle planning of future offshore wind projects.
The qualification phase will precede a formal tender process, estimated at €50 million (US$58 million), for defined work packages, covering engineering, offshore removal operations, logistics, onshore dismantling and waste management. Vattenfall is inviting interested suppliers to register and submit documentation demonstrating technical competence, financial strength and compliance with regulatory and environmental requirements.
Alpha Ventus is approaching the end of its planned operational life after more than a decade of service. Its decommissioning will symbolise both the close of an early chapter in Germany’s offshore wind story and the maturing of the sector, where life-cycle planning – from installation through to dismantling – is increasingly becoming standard practice.
