Amprion has launched a market consultation on the potential reuse of waste heat from its BalWin1 and BalWin2 offshore grid connection converter stations. Interested parties can take part until 30 September 2025, with a formal tender for waste heat utilisation planned for late 2025.
The converter stations, part of the high-voltage direct current links connecting offshore wind farms in the North Sea to the onshore power grid, are being positioned as pilot projects for future heat recovery. The BalWin1 converter is planned for the municipality of Bohmte (Osnabrück district), while the BalWin2 converter will be built on the site of a former coal-fired power plant in Ibbenbüren (Steinfurt district). Commissioning is scheduled for 2030 and 2031 respectively, at which point the waste heat will become available.
The consultation, launched in mid-July, aims to assess potential demand and technical requirements for using the heat. Amprion estimates that each converter could yield an average of 30–40 GWh of thermal energy annually—enough to meet the heating needs of roughly 4,800 to 6,500 people.
According to Germany’s grid development plan, Amprion expects to build a total of 19 converter stations by 2045, many of which may be suitable for future waste heat use. However, feasibility depends on site-specific conditions, including offshore wind generation patterns and the volume of power delivered to each converter.
