http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/i/4363/

Offshore wind capacity in Europe has grown a "comfortable" 4.5% in the first six months of the year compared to last, according to statistics from the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA).

The first half of 2011 has seen 101 offshore wind turbines erected with a total capacity of 348 MW and connected to the grid in the UK, Germany and Norway.

The size of the average installed turbine has also increased from 2.9 MW last year to 3.4 MW in 2011.

There are now currently 1247 offshore wind turbines in 49 wind farms connected to the grid in nine European nations with a total capacity of 3294 MW.

But there are a further 11 wind farms under construction currently that will add an extra capacity of 2844 MW at a cost of some €8.5 billion.

According to the EWEA, between three and five wind farms in the UK and Germany will reach financial close later this year, taking financing to a record level of over €3 billion.