During 2001 an increase of 2659 MW in wind power capacity, 43 per cent, took place in Germany. There are now11438 wind rotors in operation, corresponding to 8753 MW.
Now the Federal government has established the legal basis for investment in offshore wind energy plants. According to the Federal minister for the environment, nature protection and reactor safety, Jürgen Trittin, 29 applications for offshore wind parks have been submitted so far, 22 in the North Sea and 7 in the Baltic. Construction is likely to start in 2003. Under the new law for environmental protection (still to be by the Bundestag and Bundesrat of the German parliament) the Federal government will be the only licence authority for such plants. The number of plants per wind park is estimated at 40 to 80, the height of the individual masts will be 150 to 160 m, and the power limit of each one 5 MW: and they must be more than 12 nautical miles from the coastline.
