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EWEA: Offshore Wind Could Replace Coal Plants

Europe's wind industry is calling for a major investment in offshore turbines, with the European Union aiming to generate a fifth of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.

The European Wind Energy Association says offshore wind could replace coal-fired plants with the right investments.

The group says that government needs to spend more than $82 billion over the next 20 years to develop offshore farms, an action that would allow for bigger and more powerful wind turbines than could be used at land-based stations.

EWEA is also calling for up to $43 billion for links to transfer the power onshore and between European nations, including links across the North Sea.

The association's chief executive says financiers are ready to pump money into the sector, though they want assurances that wind power will get to the electricity grid.