Environment Minister Röttgen noted: Decision comes at the right time
The EU Commission gave its consent to the full 30 million euro state aid earmarked for the first German offshore wind farm alpha ventus. Federal Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen commented: "The decision comes at precisely the right time." The expansion of the offshore wind energy sector is a major contributing factor in fulfilling Germany's climate protection targets and a declared objective of the federal government's Energy Concept. "We will only be able to meet our energy policy target of 25,000 megawatt offshore wind power by 2030 if we resolutely advance the expansion of this energy sector. Alpha ventus is a milestone on our road towards a near CO2-free power supply in Germany", the Environment Minister went on to explain.
Alpha ventus is the first wind farm in the world to be built in a remote coastal area at a depth of 25 meters. The project was faced with tremendous technical challenges and the scientific knowledge acquired will provide important technical and ecological insights for the construction of all future wind farms.
Numerous permits for the construction of wind farms had been issued even before alpha ventus went ahead, but none of the projects was ever realised. The operating companies joined in the business group DOTI were the only ones willing to take the associated risks. Now that the aid has been approved by the EU Commission, the Federal Environment Ministry will release the funds promised for the construction of alpha ventus as soon as possible.