RWE Open to Partnerships in US Wind

German utility RWE would consider teaming up with peers and oil companies to make a move in the U.S. wind market, its chief financial officer Markus Krebber said on Wednesday.

RWE will become Europe's third-largest renewable group following a deal to acquire the green energy units of E.ON and Innogy, which is expected to be completed this year.

Krebber also said higher carbon emission permit prices and low gas prices in the first quarter moved utilization of RWE's European gas-fired power plants up 10 percent.

Correspondingly, the utilization rates of coal-fired plants dropped by 10 percent as they require more CO2 permits to cover their output.

(Reporting by Christoph Steitz and Vera Eckert Editing by Michelle Martin)