Engineering association urges consensus on wind power expansion in Germany

Germany should strive to find consensus on the further expansion of wind power in the country, the German engineering industry association VDMA Power Systems says. This would help to ensure an orderly progress in increasing the share of renewables in the power mix and abide by the widely supported climate targets, it says. Wind power is currently enjoying strong growth across Europe and elsewhere in the world, while in Germany - the home and “lead market” of many wind turbine manufacturers - growth rates have fallen considerably, the association says. Questions over wind power’s impact on the immediate environment or remuneration of hosting municipalities should be discussed openly to achieve greater clarity about the conditions of wind power expansion. “There has to be a wind power action plan still this year as this is the only way to get companies to invest again,” VDMA Power Systems head Matthias Zelinger said.
The VDMA also says it welcomes the planned Climate Action Law by environment minister Svenja Schulze but rejects the idea of fixed sectoral emissions reduction targets. These do not fit into an increasingly integrated energy system, the association argues, adding that the law should rather be seen in the context of a concerted European approach that also addresses a reform of the current system of surcharges and levies on energy.

While Germany used to lead global wind power expansion rankings, but the industry fears a slowdown due to a combination of changes to the regulatory environment and increasing protests and lawsuits against wind power in the country. However, wind power remains Germany’s most important renewable power source by far and set a new output record in March 2019, when turbines contributed more than one third to the country’s total electricity production.