Although the 10H rule was relaxed in Bavaria when wind power was expanded, the dispute over it does not come to an end. Just in time for the start of the election year, the SPD announces a tougher approach. She wants to let Bayern decide.
Munich (dpa/lby) - When expanding wind power in Bavaria, the SPD wants to use a referendum to finally overturn the controversial 10H rule. "We need several thousand additional wind turbines in Bavaria. This is the only way we can reduce electricity prices and secure jobs. And this is the only way we can achieve our climate goals. The recent patchwork of the black-orange coalition is not enough," said SPD state leader Florian von Brunn Friday in Munich. For a referendum to abolish the 10H rule, the SPD wants to first approach possible allies in the next few weeks. First, the Bavarian radio had reported on the topic.
The 10H rule introduced by former Prime Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) in 2014 stipulated that the distance from wind turbines to the nearest housing estate should generally be at least ten times their construction height. The regulation had practically brought the expansion of wind energy in Bavaria to a standstill in recent years - while 400 approval applications were made in 2013, in 2020 there were only three.
For von Brunn, a complete abolition of the 10H rule is absolutely necessary. The relaxation recently decided by the state government around Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) in the form of a few exceptions is not enough, the expansion of wind turbines will be further slowed down, since the federal wind expansion law will only really take effect in a few years.
Wind turbines have been able to be built in Bavaria with a standard minimum distance of 1000 meters from residential areas since mid-November. In addition, the distance rule will no longer apply along motorways or railway lines, in industrial areas or in the forest.
"But we don't have that much time for that," said von Brunn. "Söder's conditions are a pure bureaucracy monster. We won't achieve the wind power targets in the Free State with this. That's why the referendum is so important." You just have to delete all special regulations from the building code. "Then wind turbines could be approved again without a blockade according to the principles that apply in almost all of Germany."
For a referendum to abolish the 10H rule, the SPD wants to first approach possible allies in the next few weeks. "We would be happy if many other democratic parties and associations support the cause," said von Brunn. It is conceivable for him to start collecting signatures in March or April - but the specific processes are still open.
It is therefore also unclear whether the referendum can be brought to a conclusion at all in this legislative period, i.e. before the state elections at the beginning of October. In the first step, the initiators would first have to collect at least 25,000 signatures so that the referendum can be officially approved at all. Then comes the biggest hurdle - at least ten percent of all those entitled to vote, around 950,000 citizens, have to submit their signatures in the town halls within 14 days.
After that, the state government must issue a statement and the state parliament must decide whether to approve the referendum or not. If this is not the case, there would be a referendum, in which the citizens then anchor the referendum as a law.
Von Brunn said that without a significant increase in wind power, Bavaria is also threatened with higher electricity prices. The European Union is therefore examining higher electricity prices for southern Germany, since the construction of the large power lines is also lagging behind. "This leads to problems and shortages in the power supply in Bavaria. At the moment, there is already a consultation process on the formation of electricity price zones in Germany. We definitely don't want that."
