Germany gives green light for offshore wind plants
Date: 12-Nov-01
Country: GERMANY
Twelve individual plants will be erected in a 250-280 million mark pilot phase in the North Sea, 45 kilometres north-west of the island of Borkum.
The approved units are among 208 plants that have been applied for, BSH President Peter Ehlers said.
Germany, the world's leading wind energy producer accounting for a third of total production, wants to study how offshore operations affect shipping and the environment before allowing their construction on a large scale.
Wind energy could help contribute to its declared political target to double the share of renewable energies within the total power mix to 12.5 percent by 2010 in a bid to lower carbon dioxide emissions which are linked to global warming.
Energy firm Prokon Nord from the city of Leer has won the tender for the first project, which will start with an area of 5.6 cubic kilometres.
Wind speeds at sea are double those on land, thereby offsetting the higher costs of building offshore plants.
The high-tech wind power units have to be anchored at depths of 25-30 metres and are around 160 metres high.
