(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-04-07 12:49

KUALA LUMPUR - Germany wants to help Malaysia develop wind energy as a significant source of renewable energy, a visiting German minister said in Kuala Lumpur, local media reported on Monday.

Walter Hirche, an Economics, Labor and Transport Minister from the northern German state of Niedersachsen, said Malaysia can enjoy a transfer of wind generation technology.

"About seven percent of our renewable energy is from wind energy but we are now looking at developing an offshore wind industry and we think, in 10 years, that we will be able to produce 15,000 megawatts (MW) which is the capacity of 10 nuclear or coal powered power plants," the New Straits Times quoted Hirche as saying.

Germany, a world leader in wind energy, is already drawing up plans for an offshore wind park to fuel the country's electricity needs. Niedersachsen enjoys strong winds due to its North Sea coastlines.

It has installed over 3,000 wind turbines with a combined output of 3,200 MW. However, due to supply fluctuations, experts are looking for a more constant supply from the seas.

Germany has targeted its production of renewable energy to grow to 20 percent by 2020.

As global warming concerns increase, countries in the European Union led by Germany have been supportive of the green energy campaign.

These concerns will still remain important in the next decade, Hirche said.

"We are very concerned about improving our energy efficiency and the biggest challenges are in the transportation sector which could entail changes to the motor vehicle or looking to the railway sector instead of relying on lorries.

"Shipping of goods between countries should also be looked at too," he added.