Germany prepares three giants of 34,000 tons in the North Sea to convert offshore wind energy into high-voltage electricity, in a 6 GW project that will feature converter platforms, HVDC connection, and works scheduled until 2031.

Written by Carla Teles

Published on 20/05/2026 at 20:20

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German offshore wind energy will have three converter platforms of 2 GW each, contracted by TenneT with Dragados Offshore and Siemens Energy, to transform alternating current from North Sea parks into HVDC and send electricity to stations in Wilhelmshaven and Heide, with works planned until 2031 in Germany.

Offshore wind energy in the German North Sea will gain three large converter platforms, each weighing about 34,000 tons and with a capacity of 2 GW. The contract was announced in April 2023 and involves Dragados Offshore, Siemens Energy, and the transmission operator TenneT.

According to Dragados Offshore, the structures will be used to convert electricity generated by offshore wind farms into high-voltage direct current, known as HVDC. The goal is to bring the energy to Germany’s power grid, in a 6 GW project with works expected to generate jobs until 2031.

Three platforms of 34,000 tons will be installed in the North Sea

Wind energy in Germany will have converter platforms with HVDC in the North Sea to bring offshore electricity to the grid. — **Image:** Dragados Offshore / Disclosure.

The project foresees the construction and installation of three converter platforms in the German North Sea. Each unit will weigh about 34,000 tons, a size that places the operation among the major industrial projects linked to the expansion of offshore wind energy in Europe.

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Offshore wind energy needs to be converted before reaching the grid

The electricity produced by offshore wind farms is initially in alternating current. On the converter platforms, this current will be transformed into high-voltage direct current, a format more suitable for long-distance transmission.

Later, already on land, the energy will be reconverted into alternating current at stations located in the German cities of Wilhelmshaven and Heide. This process allows integrating offshore production into the national electrical system, reducing losses and expanding transmission capacity.

Project will have a total capacity of 6 GW for Germany

Each of the three connections will have a capacity of 2 GW, totaling 6 GW. This volume underscores the importance of the project within the German strategy to expand renewable generation and reduce dependence on fossil sources.

Offshore wind energy appears as one of the most relevant bets in this plan, because the North Sea offers favorable conditions for large-scale wind farms. Even so, transforming wind into usable electricity requires a complex chain of turbines, platforms, cables, converters, and onshore stations.

Dragados Offshore and Siemens Energy take on construction and installation

Dragados Offshore will work in consortium with Siemens Energy to design, build, and install the three converter platforms. The contract was awarded by TenneT, the Dutch-German transmission system operator.

This type of contract involves heavy engineering, industrial manufacturing, and electrical integration. It’s not just about building giant metal structures, but about delivering systems capable of operating in a marine environment and connecting different stages of energy transmission.

HVDC connection will carry electricity for about 200 kilometers

The converter platforms will be responsible for preparing the electricity to travel approximately 200 kilometers to the onshore stations. HVDC technology is used precisely because it allows transmitting large blocks of energy over long distances with greater efficiency.

In the German case, the distance between the offshore wind farms and the continental connection points makes this solution even more important. The wind energy produced in the North Sea needs to traverse a robust infrastructure before supplying consumers, industries, and regional networks.

Construction should generate more than 2,000 jobs per platform

The construction of the platforms is expected to generate more than 2,000 jobs per unit, according to project information. As there are three structures, the industrial impact extends through a chain of workers, suppliers, engineers, technicians, and companies involved until 2031.

This data shows that the energy transition also has a significant economic dimension. In addition to producing renewable electricity, projects of this magnitude stimulate shipyards, factories, logistics, maritime transport, and specialized services.

Germany accelerates network for offshore wind farms

The project is part of Germany’s Energy Transition Plan, which envisions a broader network of offshore wind energy generation. The goal is to create sufficient infrastructure to transport large volumes of renewable electricity from the sea to the mainland.

The expansion of the network is as important as the installation of the turbines. Without converter platforms and transmission connections, the energy produced offshore may face bottlenecks in reaching consumer centers.

Mega-structures show the real scale of the energy transition

The three platforms weighing 34,000 tons demonstrate that offshore wind energy depends on monumental works to operate on a large scale. Although the final result is renewable electricity, the path to the outlet involves steel, engineering, submarine cables, converters, and international logistics.

Now the question arises: do megaprojects like this accelerate the energy transition or show that clean energy also requires increasingly larger and more complex works? Do you believe that giant platforms in the North Sea are the most efficient way to supply Germany with renewable energy? Share your opinion.

Germany prepares three giants of 34,000 tons in the North Sea to convert offshore wind energy into high-voltage electricity, in a 6 GW project that will feature converter platforms, HVDC connection, and works scheduled until 2031.

Three platforms of 34,000 tons will be installed in the North Sea

Offshore wind energy needs to be converted before reaching the grid

Project will have a total capacity of 6 GW for Germany

Dragados Offshore and Siemens Energy take on construction and installation

HVDC connection will carry electricity for about 200 kilometers

Construction should generate more than 2,000 jobs per platform

Germany accelerates network for offshore wind farms

Mega-structures show the real scale of the energy transition

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Germany prepares three giants of 34,000 tons in the North Sea to convert offshore wind energy into high-voltage electricity, in a 6 GW project that will feature converter platforms, HVDC connection, and works scheduled until 2031.

Three platforms of 34,000 tons will be installed in the North Sea

Offshore wind energy needs to be converted before reaching the grid

Project will have a total capacity of 6 GW for Germany

Dragados Offshore and Siemens Energy take on construction and installation

HVDC connection will carry electricity for about 200 kilometers

Construction should generate more than 2,000 jobs per platform

Germany accelerates network for offshore wind farms

Mega-structures show the real scale of the energy transition

While an average building in London or New York takes three years to be completed, in China a 26-story tower went up in five days with about 100 workers, and the global modular construction market already moves US$ 95 billion per year.

Australia installs giant concrete structures on the seabed 800 meters from the shore to create an ocean intake for desalination that will draw in saltwater and produce 30 million liters of drinking water per day.

While a traditional school may take several days just to raise walls, in Malawi a 3D-printed school had its structure ready in 18 hours, welcomed children in June, and showed a new solution to the lack of classrooms.

Goodbye traditional washing machine: Panasonic surprises housewives with the NA-G5 featuring four drums, a 13 kg washer and dryer, a 12 kg dryer, independent mini washers, a heat pump, and a 4-in-1 system awarded at the German Design Award.

Material once seen as a poor man’s choice returns as a climate bet, with red clay replacing part of the gray concrete in modern buildings, hospitals, houses, and a cultural center that transforms tradition into a solution against urban heat.

American company deploys humanoid robots to work live for 8 hours and surprises by showing machines handling packages at an almost human pace while accelerating production on a global industrial scale

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