“I think onshore is already competitive,” Ahilan said on thesidelines of an offshore wind conference in Hamburg. “And in fact, newcoal-fire stations do not beat onshore wind.”

Energy from offshore wind is still around 30% to 40% moreexpensive. “I think we need to bring that cost down. And I believe this ispossible within the next decade or even quicker.”

For prices to drop considerably, the offshore sector needs toenter a stage of industrialisation which is “probably still about three to fiveyears away”, the GL Garrad Hassan president said.