Germany has grand plans to build its first ever offshore wind farms in the North and Baltic Sea, a project that energy experts warn still has a long way to go in meeting formidable financial and technical challenges.

Buffeted by the soaring price of oil, a heated debate over a planned nuclear phase-out and pressure to meet its CO2 emission targets, Germany said last week it planned to give a massive boost to wind power in the coming years.

Transport Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee said Berlin aims to build up to 30 offshore wind farms in the North Sea and Baltic Sea, at a cost of 1 billion euros each, to reduce dependency on energy suppliers from overseas. ... Read full article