Germany opens second wind farm in North Sea

Apr 7, 2011, 15:19 GMT

Berlin - Germany inaugurated its second wind farm in the North Sea on Thursday amid public clamour to erect many more wind turbines and close down all nuclear reactors as soon as possible.

The Bard Offshore 1 field, located 90 kilometres north-west of Borkum, was described as the first commercial German wind farm in deep water. Wind farms receive German government tax breaks.

The earlier wind farm, Alpha Ventus, which was inaugurated a year ago, received federal research funds and was termed a pilot project. At least two of its turbines were later reported to have failed.

The Bard windfarm is built on concrete foundations in water 40 metres deep. So far, 11 of its 17 turbines are working. At completion next year, the site will have 80 turbines and a nominal capacity of 400 megawatts, enough to supply 400,000 homes with electricity.

Sites far offshore are popular because Germans regard turbines on land as an eyesore. But the structures are difficult to operate in stormy waters. Construction of Bard 1 is months behind schedule because of storms and technical problems.

The political symbolism of the change to wind is so important that Chancellor Angela Merkel is expected in person to open the first German wind farm in the Baltic Sea next month. On land, Germany already has 21,000 wind turbines.

Last month's Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan has triggered public revulsion for nuclear power, with support across the political spectrum for hastening the closure of all reactors. Under current legislation, the deadline for closure does not expire until 2036.

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