Statkraft Buys Wind Power Portfolio in Germany and France

Statkraft, Europe’s major generator of renewable energy, has acquired the wind power portfolio of wind farm operator Breeze Three Energy in Germany and France to further strengthen its position in Europe. The parties have decided not to disclose the transaction value.

Norway-based Statkraft adds 39 wind farms across Germany and four wind farms in France to its European onshore wind power portfolio. The company also acquired solar pioneer Solarcentury last year.

The acquisition marks the market entry as an owner of a wind farm portfolio in Germany and France and is in line with Statkraft’s strategy to ramp up as a wind and solar developer and become one of the leading renewable energy companies globally, said the company.

“Statkraft has an ambition to grow further within hydropower, wind and solar power. We aim to be a major wind and solar developer with a development rate of 2.5 to 3 gigawatts per year towards 2025. Today’s acquisition further strengthens our role as a key renewables player in Europe and gives us the ability to further grow our portfolio in Germany and France,” says EVP European Wind and Solar Birgitte Ringstad Vartdal.

“With our solid experience in developing, managing, operating and marketing renewable assets, Statkraft is the right owner of the acquired wind farms to continue optimising operations and to bring part of the portfolio into lifetime extension,” she adds.

The German wind farms, spanning from Bavaria in the south to Schleswig-Holstein in the north, have a total installed capacity of 311 megawatts (MW) and will significantly leverage Statkraft’s presence as an owner and developer of renewable assets in Germany.

The total of 187 turbines generates an average annual yield of around 463 GWh. The country is the largest renewables market in Europe in terms of installed capacity, expected growth and repowering potential.

Earlier this year, Statkraft announced the development of the onshore wind farm Rappenhagen in Northern Hesse, marking the market entry as a wind developer in Germany.

In France, the wind farms are located across the Normandy, Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Pays de la Loire regions and have a total installed capacity of 35 MW. The total of 16 wind turbines generates an average annual yield of around 60 GWh. The acquisition is expected to allow Statkraft to further grow its asset portfolio and existing business in the country.