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The battle to cut the costs of wind energy seems a Sisyphean task in Germany. As fast as turbine manufacturers cut their prices, the advantage is worn away by price rises outside their control. Mainly this is steadily increasing utility charges for grid connection, but the district of Flensburg-Schleswig has come with a different levy. New wind projects will only be granted planning permission after they have agreed to deposit a DEM 50,000 guarantee towards covering dismantling costs at the end of the project's lifetime.