German energy company RWE has said it will abandon its offshore wind projects in the US after reaching a $1.2bn (£892m) deal with President Donald Trump's Department of the Interior (DoI). RWE said it will reinvest the money in conventional gas projects, including $900m (£669m) in a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal project in Louisiana.
"After careful consideration, it was determined there is no path forward to permit these projects in the US for the foreseeable future,"the company said in a statement.
RWE said it has agreed to relinquish its leases off the California and Louisiana coasts as well as in the New York Bight. Overall, the German firm plans to invest approximately €17bn (£14.5bn; $19.6bn) in the US over the next six years
"to grow its generation capacity".
Why is the Trump administration targeting offshore wind?
The deal is the latest the Trump administration has reached this year as Trump, a vocal supporter of the fossil fuel industry, continues his push to halt offshore wind projects. Trump has sought to boost government support for fossil fuels after campaigning for the presidency under the slogan
"drill, baby, drill".
Days after his return to office, he said
"we're not going to do the wind thing"and called them
"big, ugly windmills"that were dangerous to wildlife.
What other offshore wind deals has the administration made?
In March 2026, the DoI reached a deal with TotalEnergies putting an end to the French company's offshore wind projects in the US. Instead, the firm agreed to reroute investment to build a LNG plant in Texas and to develop
"upstream conventional oil"in the Gulf of Mexico.
The administration signed a similar $129bn (£96bn) agreement with Charlotte-based Duke Energy last month in exchange for the termination of the company's offshore wind lease in the Carolina Long Bay area.
What does this mean for RWE's US plans?
RWE said it will now focus its US investment on conventional gas projects, including the Louisiana LNG export terminal, while giving up its offshore wind leases. The company said the move follows its view that there is no near-term path to permit the projects in the US.
Key Facts
- RWE reached a $1.2bn (£892m) deal with the US Department of the Interior.
- The company will abandon offshore wind projects off California, Louisiana and in the New York Bight.
- It will invest $900m (£669m) in an LNG export terminal project in Louisiana.
- RWE plans to invest about €17bn (£14.5bn; $19.6bn) in the US over six years.
- Similar deals were struck with TotalEnergies in March 2026 and Duke Energy last month.
