The European Commission is inviting comments from all interested parties on how to identify and overcome barriers to developing offshore wind in the EU, an EC spokesman said Friday.

Offshore wind "has the potential to make a significant contribution" to reaching the EU's binding target to have 20% of its final energy use from renewable sources by 2020, EC energy spokesman Ferran Tarradellas told reporters in Brussels.

"But exploiting this potential is associated with a number of specific challenges that might require further, more targeted actions," he said.

These challenges include reinforcing onshore grids, connecting offshore grids, sharing costs, getting permissions and developing technology.

The EC is particularly interested to hear what EU level actions would be needed. It is to take account of the online public questionnaire responses in an EU offshore wind energy action plan it is to publish in the second half of 2008.

The EC is also encouraging respondents to flag up if and where similar actions would be needed for other offshore renewable technologies such as wave, tidal and ocean current energy.

The questionnaire is available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/res/consultation/offshore_wind_energy_en.htm

The deadline for responses is June 20.