Germany’s largest state, NRW, trails in renewables expansion

In spite of a record wind power expansion in the western German region of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), the country’s largest federal state still trails in terms of renewables expansion, Welt Online reports. In 2017, the state added 312 wind turbines, bringing the total number to about 3,580. According to LEE, the state’s renewable energy association, however, a new minimum distance for turbines from nearby residential buildings is set to slow down the technology’s expansion. NRW’s total renewables share in power consumption in 2017 stood at 12.5 percent, compared to 36 percent across Germany. The heavily industrialised state ranks third last in terms of renewables share, with only the city-states Berlin and Hamburg faring worse, the article says.

Read the article in German here.