Masdar and EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to co-develop offshore wind and battery energy storage systems across Germany and the UK.
The partnership, announced during the inaugural UAE-Germany Business Council meeting in Berlin, signals a step-change in how state-backed energy players are aligning to accelerate Europe’s renewable energy transition.
The scope of the agreement focuses primarily on joint development opportunities in the North Sea and Baltic Sea—two of Europe’s most mature and resource-rich offshore wind regions. Both Germany and the UK have set ambitious targets for expanding offshore wind capacity: Germany aims for at least 30 GW by 2030, while the UK targets 50 GW, including 5 GW of floating wind. Yet realising those targets requires substantial capital, grid reinforcement, and storage integration to manage intermittent supply.
EnBW, already one of Germany’s leading offshore wind developers, brings deep technical and regulatory expertise in European energy markets. The company currently operates wind farms like EnBW Hohe See and Albatros and has a robust project pipeline. Masdar, on the other hand, brings sovereign-backed financial capacity and an expanding international renewables portfolio that spans over 40 countries.
The MoU also includes a provision to jointly explore battery energy storage systems—an increasingly critical component of Europe’s flexible grid strategy. Germany alone is projected to require up to 24 GW of storage capacity by 2037, according to estimates from the Bundesnetzagentur, to maintain reliability as coal and nuclear assets are retired. UK policy also supports battery deployment, with the country’s pipeline of utility-scale storage now exceeding 30 GW, much of it colocated with renewable assets.
By combining Masdar’s capital and global partnerships with EnBW’s operational footprint, the companies could be well-positioned to bid for upcoming offshore wind tenders—particularly in the German EEZ and Crown Estate leasing rounds in the UK.
The partnership also opens the door to joint green hydrogen development. While no specific hydrogen projects have been announced, both firms have publicly stated their interest in developing electrolyser capacity aligned with offshore wind. Germany’s National Hydrogen Strategy aims to develop 10 GW of domestic electrolyser capacity by 2030, and the UK is targeting 10 GW of low-carbon hydrogen production, at least half of it green.
Masdar has been expanding aggressively into green hydrogen markets, including partnerships in Egypt, Central Asia, and most recently, the Netherlands. EnBW, though less visible in hydrogen, has engaged in early-stage feasibility studies tied to industrial decarbonization and port-based hydrogen hubs.
For the UAE and Germany, the MoU also serves broader diplomatic and economic goals. The UAE is seeking to solidify its position as a global clean energy player, diversifying away from oil revenues, while Germany aims to strengthen energy resilience through partnerships that deliver both capital and decarbonization.
By tying offshore wind, storage, and hydrogen into a single collaboration framework, the agreement reflects a growing recognition that future energy systems must be not only clean, but also integrated and flexible.
Further details on project timelines, investment volumes, or specific tender participation have not been disclosed. However, both companies are expected to move quickly, given the increasingly competitive landscape and the short lead times required to qualify for EU funding instruments and market auctions.
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