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If you want to know how Union and SPD want to permanently bury citizens ‘ energy turnaround, you will find answer in line 3,274 of your coalition agreement. There it is said quite convoluted that “only federal immission protection legally approved projects” may participate in tenders.
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What sounds like an insignificant subsidiary of Ökonerds is fundamentally changing general conditions for Germany’s wind energy industry. “Exclusively federally approved projects” means that citizens ‘ wind farms will not enjoy any advantages over commercially operated plants in future. But without such privileges, small initiatives in tender competition have almost no chance. In any case, ir situation is bad: since government changed rules for construction of new solar and wind power plants in year 2016, y are largely out of business. If line 3,274 of Coalition Treaty is now implemented, this could seal its end.
The demise of small initiatives began in 2016. At time, Sigmar Gabriel raved about energy turnaround as a project of all. Citizens ‘ initiatives should have same chance, frontrunners, as big energy companies, he said. The minister wanted to ensure acceptance of citizens. For everywhere re was resistance: against wind farms, power lines and energy turnaround at all. It is too expensive and brings too little, according to criticism.
Exceptions for Akteursvielfalt © time online Marlies Uken deputy. Head of department politics, Economy and society, time online to authors page
Gabriel built state promotion of ecological from ground up. It was end of a model practiced for decades. Instead of a fixed, guaranteed remuneration per kilowatt-hour, re have been auctions since n. Those who produce most favourable airflow are awarded contract – and in order not to exclude small, financially weak citizens ‘ initiatives from price competition from outset, government has given m a special advantage: In contrast to commercial Projektierern, initiatives in a call for tenders do not have to submit a immissionschutzrechtliche permit certifying ir wind farms to be harmless to people and environment.
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“That’s a good story,” praised minister at time. At first glance, numbers gave him right. Last year, federal Network agency wrote three auctions for wind farms. And in third tender, for example, citizens of energy companies received almost 98 percent of surcharges.
Professional developers instead of citizens ‘ initiatives
So is energy turnaround firmly in hands of citizens? The opposite is true, because behind majority of approved projects, which run under label of a civil society, are in fact big, professional wind farm developers: medium-sized companies with a team of lawyers and engineers Plan, operate and, in some cases, even trade with m in large-scale wind farms. In order to get through as a citizens ‘ initiative, you only have to meet two conditions: at least ten real persons must be involved and se persons must live in district in which wind farm is to be built. However, size of companies does not matter.
Thus, a rule that was originally intended to support democratisation of energy revolution has become opposite. “Actually, politics wanted to do something good. But some smart entrepreneurs have made a business model out of it, “complains Environment minister Olaf Lies (SPD) from land of Lower Saxony. His colleague from Baden-Württemberg, Green energy minister, Franz, is also angry: “The exception became rule, which was also used by many bidders who are not among classic and protected citizen energy cooperatives.”
One of company that has perfected new variant of citizens ‘ energy turnaround is wind park developer Uka from Saxon Meißen. Until a few years ago, Uka was still a no name in wind energy industry. At first tender round after introduction of auctions, company did not receive a single surcharge. “We had choice,” says managing director Gernot Gauglitz, “eir to dismiss 400 employees or to adapt our business model.”
