Sea Power: Germany's First Offshore Wind Park Goes Online - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - Int... - 0 views
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Germany's first offshore wind farm has gone online off the North Sea island of Borkum. A year late and 50 million euros over budget, it's still the best hope proponents of green energy have for meeting the country's ambitious emissions reductions targets. Electricity generated by Germany's first offshore wind energy park began streaming into the national network on Wednesday as three wind turbines located 45 kilometers (28 miles) north of the North Sea island of Borkum went online. The three wind turbines are massive. Each towers more than 100 meters (328 feet) above the waves, with blades spanning more than 116 meters. Individually, the wind turbines are capable of generating 5 megawatts of energy per year. The initial trio will be joined later this year by nine more wind turbines. When all 12 go online later this year, the installation is expected to provide enough electricity to power 50,000 homes.