Renewable Energy - 20 new wind turbines approved in Thuringia
At the expansion of Wind energy as a power source, Thuringia has been coming along quite slowly in the federal state comparison so far. This could change this year. In the first half of the year, a total of six projects with twenty wind turbines have been approved, according to the Thuringian Energy Ministry in Erfurt. In the entire year of 2023, there were only six new wind turbines added to the state, according to the German Wind Energy Association (BWE).
135 Wind turbines in planning
Moreover, a whole series of approval procedures were currently ongoing, a ministry spokeswoman announced. According to the numbers available to the ministry, there were 26 such procedures in the first six months. These concerned a total of 135 wind turbines planned by investors. Currently, there are fewer than 900 wind turbines in operation in the state.
Minister Bernhard Stengele (Greens) hopes for an additional push through the recently passed Wind Energy Participation Law, with which municipalities can financially benefit from the green electricity generated in their vicinity with two cents per kilowatt-hour. They now have a legal claim to this. The amount depends on the number of feed-in tariffs and could range from five- to six-figure amounts per year, experts say.
Specifications for individual regional areas
The overhauled state development program of the state government also contains, for the first time, specifications for the land use planning of wind energy sites in the regional areas. According to the Infrastructure Ministry, a total of 35,600 hectares must be reserved in Thuringia by the year 2032 in accordance with federal regulations.
In the coming decade, 3% of the area is to be set aside for wind energy priority areas in Northern Thuringia, 2.2% in Central Thuringia, 2% in Southwestern Thuringia, and 1.7% in Eastern Thuringia.
Wind turbines near businesses
It is also about wind energy plants being able to be built near industrial and commercial areas, said Stengele. "This facilitates the economy – from small and medium-sized enterprises to global corporations – the urgently needed access to clean electricity." For nature protection, further high standards will apply, for example for protective areas in the forest or the Green Belt along the border, said the Green politician. Wind turbines, in particular, on contaminated sites could contribute to the fact that forest owners can finance the necessary forest restructuring.
- Despite Thuringia's slow progress in the Federal States Comparison for the expansion of Wind energy as a power source, Bernhard Stengele, the Minister from the Greens, has expressed optimism for an increase this year.
- The Thuringian Energy Ministry in Erfurt reported approvals for six projects with twenty wind turbines in the first half of 2023, but only six new wind turbines were added to the state in its entirety for the year.
- With 135 wind turbines in the planning stage, the German Wind Energy Association (BWE) confirmed ongoing approval procedures for these projects, as announced by a ministry spokeswoman.
- Minister Stengele believes that the recently passed Wind Energy Participation Law will provide an additional push, allowing municipalities to financially benefit from the green electricity generated in their vicinity.
- The newly overhauled state development program includes, for the first time, specifications for the land use planning of wind energy sites in the regional areas, with a goal of reserving 35,600 hectares in Thuringia by 2032.
