Construction of German Offshore Wind Parks Goes Off Schedule

Construction of Germany’s offshore wind parks will not be on time due to setbacks in connecting turbines to the power grid caused by the problems with ensuring cables and transformer stations, reports Bloomberg.

Consequently, EON AG (EOAN) and RWE AG (RWE) have stressed their intention to suspend investment in wind projects unless obstacles are removed. These delays challenge the government’s plan to install 10 gigawatts of sea-based turbines by the end of this decade.

Hermann Albers, the head of the BWE wind- energy lobby, stressed that both grid operators and their suppliers have not been aware of the challenges of connecting projects that can be worth 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion). However, the German government is confident that these issues will not affect its intention to shut all nuclear reactors by 2022 and increase the share of renewables to 35%. Juergen Maass, a spokesman for the German Environment Ministry, said that the government’s longer-term objective of 25 gigawatts of offshore wind generators will be met by 2030.

The current situation marks greater trust in other energy sources and delays for wind-project suppliers such as Siemens AG (SIE) and ABB Ltd. (ABBN) of Switzerland, the largest maker of power-distribution equipment.

Moreover, Fritz Vahrenholt, chief executive officer of RWE’s Innogy unit for renewable energy, fears that investment activities in German offshore wind farms will be most likely discontinued unless a proper solution to these circumstances is found.

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Offshore Wind Staff, February 21, 2012; Image: aplha-ventus