2008 and 2009 are expected to be boom years in the offshore sector in Europe - with planned commissioning of a total of 1,507.5MW on new installations coming online.

The United Kingdom alone is likely to account for about 800MW of this. Another milestone in offshore energy production will be the commercial launch of a number of wind turbines of the 5MW class. The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) predicts that, by the end of 2010, a cumulative offshore capacity of between 3000 and 4000MW will be operational off the coasts of Europe. Offshore is therefore a central theme at the upcoming HUSUM WindEnergy 2008. This premier fair of the wind energy sector will be held in the Northern German coastal town of Husum from 9 to 13 September. A large number of international companies that develop or already commercially operate wind turbines specially developed for offshore application will exhibit their products, projects and specialised services in Husum. Presenting the latest technical and scientific offshore wind advancements is also a main theme at the HUSUM WindEnergy conference, which is an integral part of the fair.