German wind power sector calls for more space on land and sea

Germany's next government needs to expand the area allocated for wind turbines on both land and sea, the WAB association for the offshore wind power sector said in Bremerhaven on Tuesday, reported dpa.

A mid-term target of 35 gigawatts in offshore power generation needed to be set for 2035, WAB chief executive Jens Assheuer said. The current government target is 40 gigawatts offshore by 2040.

"We have to accelerate to achieve the targets," Assheuer said, pointing to the additional demand expected from producing hydrogen from wind power. Assheuer was speaking at the opening of the Windforce Conference 2021 attended by around 200 politicians, businesspeople and scientists.

Olaf Lies, the environment and energy minister in the state of Lower Saxony, expressed concern that the current coalition talks at federal level would seek low-level compromise on renewables.

He proposed a government commission to look into what was socially acceptable with respect to turbines on land and sea in the light of rising opposition to turbines by local residents and nature conservation activists.

"This has to be cleared up, and there has to be an outcome that is adhered to in parliament," he said.

According to government figures, in September 2020 there were 27 offshore wind parks in the Baltic Sea and North Sea, with 1,501 turbines and installed capacity of 7.4 gigawatts.

Approval has been granted for further wind parks.