http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/articles/i/5326/?cid=3

Danish energy company DONG Energy is paying PNE Wind an initial €57 million, with a further €100 million to follow, to acquire three offshore wind projects in Germany.

The three projects, Gode Wind 1, 2, and 3, are in the German North Sea around 30 km northwest of the island of Norderney and have with a total capacity of up to 900 MW.

The Gode 1 and 2 developments have already been permitted by the German government to start construction and have confirmed unconditional grid connection from TenneT up to 584 MW.

The third project, Gode 3, has applied for a construction and operation permit, which is expected to be granted in 2013.

The new developments will add to DONG Energy's portfolio of offshore wind projects, which include Lincs, London Array and West of Duddon Sands in the UK, Borkum Riffgrund 1 in Germany and Anholt offshore wind farm in Denmark, totalling around 2 GW in capacity.

"Offshore wind is a central part of DONG Energy's overall strategy and the acquisition of the three Gode Wind projects strengthens our already ambitious development pipeline in German waters," says Carsten Krogsgaard Thomsen, acting CEO of DONG Energy.

The company says it has made no decision yet about investment in the three projects, but if the outcome is positive, construction on part of the projects could begin by 2015.

"The projects have a good fit with DONG Energy's project pipeline, ensuring that our installation sequence of building large-scale projects successively could work smoothly and help bring down the cost of energy from offshore wind power," explains Thomsen.

Meanwhile, Munich Re has reportedly purchased three UK wind farms with a total generating capacity of 102 MW for an undisclosed amount.

The asset management arm of Munich Re, MEAG is acquiring the 65 MW Scout Moor wind farm near Manchester, the 21 MW Tir Mostyn wind farm in North Wales and the 16 MW Bagmoor project in Lincolnshire.