Germany Increases Wind Power Generation

Capacity rose 37 per cent to 12 gigawatts while the number of turbines installed rose 20 per cent to 13,800, according to data released by the National Association for Wind Energy and two other bodies.

As a result, wind power accounted for 4.7 percent of total energy consumption last year, up from 3 percent in 2001 and topping the contribution from hydroelectric generation for the first time. The industry groups said they hope to raise their share to 10 percent of the total by 2010, and to 25 percent by 2030.

Wind turbines dot the German landscape, particularly close to the North Sea and Baltic coasts, where new, more powerful units are being installed to take advantage of laws obliging electricity distributors to buy wind power at prices above market rates.

With turbines already in place at many of the best sites onshore, German energy firms are increasingly looking to build offshore wind farms, though none are expected to be fully operational until 2006 or 2007.