Federal government examines ways to let municipalities benefit from nearby wind farms

Germany’s grand coalition government is considering ways to enable municipalities located near wind farms to share in the profits of the turbines, reports Daniel Wetzel in Welt am Sonntag. The economy ministry has invited experts to discuss several options this week, including a levy on using wind power that operators should pay to local governments, much like an oil production levy, writes Wetzel. In their coalition treaty, the CDU, CSU, and SPD had agreed to introduce a federal regulation that would let municipalities near renewables installations have a share in the latter’s profits.

Find an online version of the article in German here.

For background, read the CLEW news digest piece Municipalities near wind farms should receive ’wind levy‘ to secure acceptance of further expansion – think tank, and the factsheet Climate, energy and transport in Germany's coalition treaty.