Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
noted that the German government has been very proactive in inancially
supporting R&D initiatives designed to identify and respond to threats and
barriers to wind power development.
Such attentiveness to social concerns has made it possible for the govern-
ment to pass on energy costs to the end-consumer without experiencing the
type of emotive opposition that other nations have experienced.
101
In fact,
civic support for wind power has also given rise to green energy marketing
strategies whereby energy generators diferentiate their product oferings
by providing “green power” packages.
102
Government policy has been instrumental in enabling the development
of internationally competitive German wind turbine manufacturers. After
an initial foray into providing R&D subsidies to encourage the development
of wind power technology, the government shifted course by announcing a
feed-in tarif which fueled the market growth necessary for Germany's small
and medium-sized wind turbine manufacturers to compete for portions of
an ever-increasing revenue pool.
103
his engendered competitive conditions
that encouraged innovation while at the same time providing ever expand-
ing revenue lows that German irms could leverage for enhancing R&D. In
this way, Germany's feed-in tarif was instrumental in establishing a pool of
highly competitive wind system manufacturers.
Similarly, when it came to the development of ofshore wind power,
government policy played an active role in equipping German wind farm
developers with knowledge that few other competing developers possess.
Germany speciically limited its ofshore development plan to exclusive
economic zones (EEZ) located at least 12 nautical miles from the coast.
Although the technical challenge was greater because developers had to
devise ways to construct projects in rougher seas with water depths of up to
40 m,
104
the operational insights and innovations derived from responding
to this policy equips German wind system manufacturers with competitive
advantages in remote ofshore wind farm development—an emerging niche
that many nations are just now beginning to try and exploit. For example,
this ofshore strategy has prompted utilities such as RWE to develop spe-
cialized sea going vessels for the eicient installation of wind turbines.
105
he decision to initiate development of ofshore wind projects in deeper
water has also encouraged German companies to begin to specialize in the
development of 5 MW or greater turbines for ofshore use, and in the pro-
cess they have become technology leaders in this energy niche.
106
Government policy has also been instrumental in ensuring that these of-
shore wind installations are being developed to very high environmental and
social standards. Ofshore wind projects are subject to approval by the federal
maritime and hydrographic agency. Approvals for ofshore wind development
