Offshore wind power: Red alarm level due to the lack of rescue standards!

Offshore wind power: Red alarm level due to the lack of rescue standards!

In Germany, offshore wind turbines are up to 90 kilometers from the coasts of the east and north sea. While the energy transition is progressing, the safety of the workers on these systems remains a hotly debated topic. The SSW state parliamentary group addressed this in a small request to the state government and found a lack of uniform rescue standards for the offshore systems. According to Kn-online.de Employees are responsible, especially outside the twelve nautical miles in the German exclusive economic zone (AWZ).

A concept for rescue and medical care for offshore workers exists, but is not binding. This means that different operators offer different measures for emergency care, such as telemedicine or emergency paramedics, which leads to uncertainties. The state occupational safety authority monitors compliance with occupational safety requirements, but the lack of clear guidelines is worrying. SSW parliamentary group leader Christian Dirschauer has already expressed concerns and plans to continue to pursue the topic in the state parliament.

rescue infrastructure and operational security

The ingenieur.de reports that in recent years the number of helicopter operations has increased to save offshore workers. In 2024 there were 77 missions, while in 2023 there were 75. However, the evaluation of these operations shows that measures are not always fully implemented in emergency operations, which can lead to misunderstandings and loss of time. So far there is no uniform technical safety standards for wind turbines, and the accessibility from the air is not secured with all machine house gondolas.

The expansion of offshore wind energy is not only important for the climate goals, but also requires improved rescue infrastructures. IG Metall and other organizations are therefore calling for uniform standards for occupational safety and emergency rescue in German offshore wind farms. The planned goal of the traffic light government to achieve an expansion of 30 gigawatts by 2030 and by 2045 of 70 gigawatt offshore wind energy is flanked by the need to increase the security standards.

Lower Saxony consider initiative

While Schleswig-Holstein focuses on the security standards, the om-online.de State government of Lower Saxony, a faster expansion of offshore wind power support. Last Tuesday, a corresponding application was passed, which asks the Federal Government to create planning security for wind power at sea beyond 2030.

Minister of Energy Christian Meyer emphasizes that Lower Saxony supports the federal expansion goals and that the coastal countries are demanding more support for offshore expansion. The focus of the initiative is to increase the capacities for the production of components and to obtain the necessary installation and supplier ships. With projects such as "Gode Wind 3" and "Borkum Riffgrund 3", which are scheduled to go online this year, an important step towards a climate -neutral energy future is carried out.

Overall, it can be seen that the security requirements and the rescue infrastructure in German offshore wind farms require an urgent revision in order to effectively protect the workers and achieve the ambitious climate goals.