How, what, where? What do you think a wind accelerator is? According to the definition, a wind accelerator is an instrument or strategy that aims to accelerate and promote the development of wind energy.
This can include political measures, financing instruments or technological solutions such as green technologies – so-called greentech.
In the far north, or more precisely in Schleswig-Holstein, the wind energy sector can hope for just such a climatetech booster: The wind power industry has welcomed the implementation of new EU rules for the construction of wind turbines and power lines, which has been set in motion by the German cabinet.
“In terms of implementation, it would certainly lead to acceleration,” Marcus Hrach, managing director of the German Renewable Energy Association, said today. He also said the replacement of older wind turbines with more powerful ones, known as repowering, would get “a push.”
Fewer environmental impact assessments – enabling more wind energy.
The German government wants to significantly increase the pace of approvals. Environmental impact assessments are often to be dispensed with. Solar plants and heat pumps are also to be approved much faster in the future, within three months. “Today, the federal government has launched a wind expansion accelerator the likes of which we have never had before,” said German Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens). His draft now goes first to the Bundestag.
Hrach spoke of an important step. “It shows a bit of the spirit that the federal government is setting and is now also demanding from the states.” But that should not be the end of the efforts. What is needed, he said, is a steadying of the number of newly built wind turbines. “And further work must be done on this.”
Nabu is critical
The Nabu state association was critical. Spokesman Ingo Ludwichowski described the plans on Monday evening as half-baked. This would create a gateway for planning acceleration in other areas as well.
At EU level, a so-called emergency regulation had been agreed in December. The central point: If there is already a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) in an area designated for wind power or power lines, the environmental impact assessment (EIA) and the species protection assessment can be omitted in the approval process for the individual plants.
