Ministry presents new figures on the expansion of wind power

Tailwind for wind energy in Saxony: According to the Ministry of Energy, the expansion of wind power in the Free State is making noticeable progress. The ministry presented new figures on Wednesday. According to the figures, 29 turbines with a capacity of around 165 megawatts were approved last year. In 2020, nine turbines were approved, followed by 11 and 20 in the two subsequent years.

According to Energy Minister Wolfram Günther (Greens), 130 turbines with a total capacity of 792 megawatts were in the approval process at the end of 2023. "That's a steep upward curve." Since obstacles have been removed and opportunities created, there has been a strong increase in projects, approval procedures and permits.

"The brakes have been released. The turnaround is here. We are starting to harvest," emphasized the Minister. One new plant generates as much power as ten plants that were connected to the grid 15 to 20 years ago. State Secretary Gerd Lippold described the number of approvals as an early warning system for how the energy turnaround is working. It takes around two years from approval to completion of a plant.

Günther also provided information on a participation law that is to be passed by the end of the legislative period this summer. It is intended to give municipalities in whose vicinity a wind turbine is built a financial share of the proceeds. This could result in 20,000 to 40,000 euros per wind turbine per year going into the municipalities' coffers. "When the wind turbine turns, money comes in for the new windows in the nursery, for the clubs, for the voluntary fire department."

According to Günther, financial participation is an important instrument for increasing acceptance of wind turbines. At the same time, it is about strengthening the rural region. Lawsuits against such turbines would not play a major role in Saxony. However, there are individual cases.

The German Wind Energy Association recently complained that Saxony was still lagging behind other federal states in terms of expansion. Together with Bavaria, Thuringia and Baden-Württemberg, the Free State is one of the states with the lowest expansion of capacity in 2023, it announced with the VDMA Power System association. The Saxon Ministry of Energy assumes that the state will now catch up.