RWE, an offshore wind developer from Germany, has ceased work on its US projects in response to recent policy changes by the Trump administration.
The announcement was made by CEO Markus Krebber in text published ahead of the company’s annual meeting on 30 April 2025, as reported by Reuters.
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This casts uncertainty on the future of the US offshore wind sector, previously a central component of Joe Biden’s energy strategy but now facing opposition from President Trump.
The company, which holds three offshore wind leases in US waters near New York, Louisiana and California, has decided to adopt a cautious approach.
“In the US… we have stopped our offshore activities for the time being,” stated Krebber.
Trump’s administration has taken a clear stance against offshore wind, with the incoming President criticising wind power as unsightly and costly on his first day in office.
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By GlobalDataRWE’s Community Offshore Wind project, a 3GW joint venture with the UK’s National Grid, is one of the ventures competing for a contract with New York State.
The initiative was anticipated to commence electricity production in the early 2030s, with the capacity to supply energy to more than a million households. In 2022, RWE invested $1.1 billion to secure the lease for the area.
Almost 50% of the company’s installed renewable capacity is based in the US.
RWE was also the sole bidder in a 2023 auction for wind development rights in the Gulf of Mexico, now referred to in the US as the Gulf of America. It had secured a lease off Louisiana for $5.6m.
RWE also has the Canopy offshore wind project off Northern California, with its completion not anticipated until around 2034.
In March 2025, RWE – the largest power producer in Germany – announced a significant reduction in its offshore wind operations in the US, scaling down to minimal levels without explicitly stating that the activities have been completely halted.
The company has recently signed a ten-year corporate power purchase agreement (CPPA) with five independent co-operatives in the UK.
Under the CPPA, the company is responsible for supplying up to 53 gigawatt hours (GWh) of renewable electricity annually to more than 400 locations across the country from the beginning of April.
