Energy firms Eneco and Nuon have made a formal protest about a €4.4bn grant made to a German firm involved in building two offshore wind farms in the North Sea.

Bard Engineering is owned by wealthy Russian Arngolt Bekker who made his money in the Russian gas sector, the Financieele Dagblad says.
The two Dutch companies confirm they have made a formal protest about the subsidies.
The award is controversial because a large part of the grant has been made under the emergency planning rules, supposed to boost the Dutch economy.
An economic affairs ministry spokesman told the paper the project had to be put out to tender under EU rules, but that Dutch firms will benefit from spin-off contracts.