The renewable energy industry hopes that a black-green state government will advance the expansion of wind energy. There is enough space for new wind turbines, according to a new study commissioned by the industry. They should also be allowed to stand in forests.
Düsseldorf (dpa/lnw) - The North Rhine-Westphalian wind power industry is pushing for simplifications in the construction of new wind turbines in the upcoming coalition negotiations in NRW. Among other things, it is necessary to remove the minimum distance of 1000 meters from residential buildings without replacement, said the chairman of the regional association for renewable energies, Reiner Priggen, on Monday in Düsseldorf. General distances to earthquake measuring stations would also have to be abolished.
In addition to the areas freed up by drought and bark beetle infestation, other commercial forests should also be allowed to be used for wind energy. "There are no reasons for nature conservation to rule out wind turbines in forests as a matter of principle," said Dirk Jansen, director of the nature conservation organization BUND in North Rhine-Westphalia. However, forest ecosystems must remain taboo.
According to the exploratory paper passed at the weekend, the CDU and the Greens want to set up at least 1,000 additional wind turbines over the next five years - "also on industrial, commercial, forest and calamity areas and along transport routes". Elsewhere in the paper there is also talk of “abolishing the general distance regulation”. Priggen was reluctant to comment on this. This will only become concrete if it is recorded in a coalition agreement. It must "be very clear: What is the distance and to what?"
The LEE presented a study it had commissioned, according to which around 2.8 percent of the country's area can be used for wind power. According to LEE, only 1.2 percent of the area is currently designated for wind power. According to the will of the traffic light coalition in Berlin, two percent of the state area should be reserved for wind energy in the future.
