German Parliament adopts new onshore wind law

Renewables

Germany – The German Parliament recently approved the WindLandG, a new onshore wind law that seeks to increase onshore wind generation by a staggering 10 GW annually starting in 2025.

It is a component of a “Easter Package” of policies that also codifies the idea that the development of renewable energy is in the “overriding public interest.”

A new onshore wind law was part of the “Easter Package” that the German government passed last week (WindLandG). It aims to accelerate the growth of renewable energy. By 2030, Germany must have an 80% share of renewable energy in its electricity, and by 2045, it must have an entirely climate-neutral energy system. The proposed goal of generating all of the electricity with renewable sources by the year 2035 was removed by the lawmakers. According to the REPowerEU Action Plan of the EU, Germany now views renewable energy as being in the “overriding public interest.”

The German onshore wind industry’s expansion strategy and auction dates are updated by the WindLandG. By 2025, it wants to gradually raise annual onshore wind additions to over 12 GW. Germany intends to add 10 GW of new onshore wind capacity annually starting in 2025. The law makes improvements to onshore wind permitting to allow for a sufficiently large pipeline of projects.

But there are still many problems. The ability to deliver the increased volumes will depend on the availability of sufficient additional sites for wind energy projects. German states (Länder) are now required by the federal government to reserve 2% of their land area for onshore wind generation. It will be too late to deliver the promised 80 percent renewable electricity by 2030 if no Länder meet the 2 percent target by 2032 with a 2027 interim goal.

Distribution of onshore wind

The Länder now have the responsibility of allocating enough sites and ensuring efficient planning and permitting. Countries that are unable or unwilling to reserve 2% of their land for onshore wind are now permitted to trade up to 50% of their designated sites with countries that are exceeding their goals. They must purchase these extra sites under the terms of state contracts in statistical transfers. It is still unknown whether this mechanism will result in a more equitable distribution of onshore wind across Germany or a further centralization of onshore wind installations in the country’s north. Bavaria, which has lagged in the deployment of onshore wind power, has already stated that it intends to surpass its goal.

The Parliament also made initial moves to enhance the function of repowering. The lifespan of about 16 GW of Germany’s operating wind turbines will have expired by 2025. It is encouraging that the onshore wind law now makes repowering projects more easily permitted and aims to preserve existing wind energy development sites. On 2% of German territory, only modern turbines will be able to generate enough renewable electricity.

It is essential that auction prices are fully indexed given the current state of global affairs and the quickly rising costs of energy, international transportation, and raw materials. In this regard, WindEurope also applauds the Parliament’s decision to extend the two-year deadline for onshore wind turbine construction. Manufacturers and project developers had found it more and more difficult to meet the two-year deadline due to disruptions in global supply chains.

Along with the new onshore wind law, the German nature conservation law was amended by the Parliament in order to ensure that onshore wind’s rapid deployment will continue to be accompanied by the preservation of nature and biodiversity.

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