Green energy
April 27, 2010
A 250-million-euro ($332 million) wind farm has begun generating energy off the northern coast of Germany on Tuesday, providing enough electricity to power some 50,000 homes.
The Alpha Ventus wind park, Germany's first project of this type built offshore, is located 45 kilometers north of the German island of Borkum in the North Sea.
Data collected from its 12 turbines are expected to help green energy specialists improve technology and construction methods for future off-shore wind farm projects.
"The use of wind energy will play a central role in the energy mix of the future," said Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen, who was on site to initiate the wind farm's turbines.
Alpha Ventus is a collaborative effort by German energy giants E.ON and EWE and Swedish firm Vattenfall. The project was delayed as a result of bad weather and technical difficulties.
According to Germany's Office of Sea Navigation and Hydrography, up to 25 off-shore wind farms involving more than 1,650 turbines have been approved for construction in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. A further 60 are in the planning stages.
dfm/AP/dpa
Editor: Rob Turner