E.ON's chief executive officer Wulf Bernotat has reportedly called for an approval of offshore wind parks closer to shore.

He made this comment with reference to ambitious plans to set up 2,000 offshore wind turbines, which according to him, could hardly be realised without massive investments in technology.

In an interview featuring Bernotat in a German daily newspaper, the CEO said he does not expect German electricity prices for consumers to fall before 2010. “But that also depends on utilities’ procurement policies, how far in advance they buy electricity. And, of course, on the competitive situation,” Bernotat told Berliner Zeitung in an interview.

According to Bernotat, it would be difficult for Germany to reach the government’s goal of generating 30 percent of power from renewable energy sources by 2020. “Realistically, I rather expect 20-25 percent,” he said.

Even as new capacities for wind energy in the first half of 2008 in Germany witnessed an increment of 20 percent (to touch 799 MW) in comparison with the same period of 2007, the situation is currently a challenging one as far as the development of onshore wind power in the domestic market is concerned. On the other hand, the Federal government is strongly committed to support offshore wind power in Germany.