Wind power industry calls on German government to hold special renewables auctions

The expansion of wind power in Germany must be accelerated both onshore and offshore to make good on climate action plans outlined in the government’s coalition treaty, industry organisations German Wind Energy Association (BWE) and Offshore Wind Energy Foundation (Stiftung Offshore Windenergie), as well as the Metalworkers’ Union (IG Metall) say in a joint press release. The groups argue that the government must hold special auctions as promised in Germany’s coalition treaty, comprising 4 gigawatts (GW) of onshore wind power capacity and an unspecified “offshore wind contribution.” “The coalition treaty must be implemented in the interest of the climate, the industry, and the labourers,” IG Metall head Meinhard Gerken said. The government’s back-pedalling on special auctions for wind and solar power has caused a great deal of uncertainty for the industry that employs about 160,000 people in Germany, the lobby groups say.

Find the press release in German here.

See the CLEW factsheets on Germany’s onshore and offshore wind energy industry for background.