The Bundesnetzagentur has announced the results of the third auction for onshore wind energy in Germany. The auction was significantly oversubscribed: 210 bids totalling 2,591MW were submitted, while the total volume available was 1,000MW. The average volume-weighted price quoted in the bids in this auction was 4.02 cents per kilowatt hour (ct/kWh) and thus lower than the highest price accepted in the last auction of 4.29 ct/kWh.
The Bundesnetzagentur accepted 61 bids comprising a total volume of 1,000.4MW. The prices quoted in the successful bids ranged from 2.2 ct/kWh to 3.82 ct/kWh and averaged at 3.4 ct/kWh. North Rhine-Westphalia and Brandenburg had the highest number of successful bids, with 17 and 16 respectively; in each case, the successful projects together comprise just over 270 MW. With 89% of all the bids submitted, the citizens' energy companies again showed a particularly strong presence in the auction. As a result, these companies account for 98% of all the successful bids (ie 60 bids) and 99.2% of the total volume awarded. The successful bids from the citizens' energy companies have been awarded a uniform price of 3.82 ct/kWh, while that from the other bidder has been awarded the price quoted in the bid (pay-as-bid). The average weighted price awarded is consequently also around 3.82 ct/kWh. This auction was characterised by bids for projects not yet given approval. In the first two onshore wind auctions to be held in 2018, bidders will be required to obtain approval for their projects before being able to participate in the auction.