Magdeburg (dpa/sa) - The state government wants to set specific targets for the expansion of wind energy for the individual regions in Saxony-Anhalt. The cabinet agreed on a change to the state development plan on Tuesday. According to this, the regions of Anhalt-Bitterfeld-Wittenberg, Altmark, Halle and Magdeburg should each have 2.3 percent of their areas for wind energy by 2032, and 1.6 percent in the Harz district.
The federal government sets legally binding area targets for the states for the expansion of wind power. For Saxony-Anhalt, 2.2 percent are planned by 2032. Infrastructure Minister Lydia Hüskens (FDP) said after the cabinet meeting in Magdeburg that the deadlines would be met. She justified the reduced area target in the Harz with the natural conditions and the occurrence of protected species such as the red kite bird species.
The plans are to be implemented locally by so-called regional planning communities. The country wants to be better equipped financially and in terms of personnel. The funds are to be doubled this year to 800,000 euros. In addition, the draft law contains further adjustments of state law to the federal wind-on-shore law in order to speed up planning and approval procedures.
Most recently, around 1.1 percent of the country's area was secured for the use of wind energy. On a further 0.7 percent, wind turbines were located outside of designated priority or suitable areas - they currently do not count as a contribution to the area target. However, old wind turbines could be replaced there by more powerful systems in the future.
Hüskens said that it would be examined whether such areas could be designated as priority areas so that they would be counted towards the area target. In the future, however, there will also be areas where an operator would like to repower a system, but this will no longer be legally possible.
