Several renewable energy business associations and green groups in Germany have unveiled a 10-point plan aimed at revitalising the onshore wind sector in the country.
The plan has been issued ahead of a wind energy summit with the government on 5 September by BDEW, BWE, VDMA Power Systems and VkU, together with WWF, Greenpeace, Germanwatch and Deutsche Umwelthilfe.
The aim is to remove the main barriers to wind energy development in the country, they said.
The plan includes calls for the development of a federal-state strategy for the designation of areas for wind power, allowing the repowering of projects at existing locations, imposing no ‘blanket’ distance regulations for turbines and adapting regulations for air traffic control.
It also says nature regulations for turbines should standardised and the approval processes for projects should be digitised.
The plans comes in the wake of a slump in project development that has seen recent onshore wind auctions undersubscribed.
“The approval situation and the recent tender results are in sharp contrast to the necessary expansion path towards the goal of meeting 65% of electricity demand from renewable energies by 2030,” the groups said.
They also have clear expectations for the summit.
“Our goal is to expand wind energy, which is compatible with nature and landscape, but at the same time sufficient for energy and climate policy,” the groups said.
“In view of the current situation, a clear commitment is needed from all parties involved in the federal government, the German Bundestag, the federal states and the municipalities on climate protection and the expansion of renewable energies.
“This commitment must be followed by the implementation of concrete measures for more permits for onshore wind energy projects.”