Germany will run the next tenders for the North Sea offshore wind areas N-10.1 and N-10.2 in 2027, after the planned 2026 process was pushed back to allow changes to the auction framework. The sites were left unawarded when an August 2025 auction attracted no bids.

The delay is written into a draft law approved by the government on Wednesday. The bill is primarily aimed at speeding up hydrogen availability, but it also updates the offshore wind timetable for the two N-10 zones.

Under the previous schedule, the re-tender was due to be announced in early February 2026, with the auction set for June 2026. Following the new decision, the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) will set the precise timing for the 2027 round. The draft legislation says the shift is not expected to hinder Germany’s offshore expansion targets.

The German Offshore Wind Energy Association (BWO) supported the postponement, arguing that repeating an auction under the existing rules would have carried substantial risk. Hans Sohn, head of policy and communications at BWO, said a redesigned approach based on bilateral contracts for difference with indexation is needed to reduce risk and make investment feasible again.

However, BWO also warned that moving the tender too far out could unsettle the supply chain. The association said the next process should be launched as quickly as possible, adding that a broad move to 2027 could be read as a slowing signal across the value chain. It also called for optimisation of the N-10.1 and N-10.2 zones to improve yield prospects.

Together, N-10.1 and N-10.2 cover roughly 182 km² and are assessed as offering potential for about 2.5 GW of offshore wind capacity.