Germany has approved a second offshore wind energy project in the Baltic Sea with 330 megawatt (MW) capacity, the relevant authority BSH said on Wednesday.
"BSH has given permission to Arkona Windpark Entwcklungs GmbH of Stralsund to build an 80 turbine park and a platform for meteorological measurements 35 kilometres north-east of the island of Ruegen," it said on its website.
The German authority, whose full title is Bundesamt fuer Seeschiffahrt and Hydrographie, has already approved nine projects in the North Sea and another called Kriegers Flak in the Baltic Sea.
It is also processing 31 more applications for wind parks and transmission cables in the zone outside the 12 sea-mile border off the northern German coast.
BSH lawyer Christian Dahlke said shipping flows or wildlife would not be negatively affected by the planned facility as it was far removed from the bird sanctuary Pommersche Bucht.
Germany's first North Sea wind park called Butendiek is expected to come on stream next year and a total 3,000 MW offshore wind power capacity may become operational by 2010 if project firms secure finance and overcome tough environmental rules.
Onshore wind capacity has been mostly exchausted with 17,000 MW in place.
