The purpose of the part-project ''Offshore wind farms'' is to provide the necessary framework conditions for exploiting the considerable potential of offshore wind farms as rapidly as possible. In committing itself to this project the Federal Government is banking on the assumption that renewable energy resources will be competitive without subsidisation in the long term. Given the present conditions and the available surface area as foreseen today a total of at least 500 megawatts could be installed at sea in the initial phase (first stage of wind farm construction) up to 2006, and some 2,000 to 3,000 megawatts in the medium term up to 2010. If the technology proves to be profitable, it should be possible to install some 20,000 to 25,000 m...