Ironically, before explosive Habeck meeting: Söder's wind power "on the zero point"
Created: 01/17/2022 10:53 am
By: Andreas Schmid
Disagreeing: Robert Habeck and Markus Söder have different views on wind energy.
© Jürgen Heinrich/Sven Simon/Imago (montage)
Neither Habeck nor Söder should like that: Shortly before the meeting in Munich, new figures on Bavaria's wind power increase the discrepancies between the CSU and the Greens.
Munich - Robert Habeck wants more renewable energies in Germany.
Above all, more wind power.
That's why the Greens politician is going on a trip to Germany - he wants to discuss his mission with the state governments.
On Thursday (January 20th) Habeck starts the venture.
The Vice Chancellor travels to Bavaria.
This is no coincidence.
After all, wind energy has not played a major role in Bavaria for years.
Current numbers show that.
The criticism of the Greens and SPD of the Bavarian state government is growing.
But the CSU will probably stick to its course.
It is questionable whether Habeck and Söder will come closer.
Habeck meeting in Munich: Expansion of Bavaria's wind power reaches a new low
Bavaria's wind power balance looks pretty bleak: the expansion hit a new low last year. Although six new turbines were approved in the first three quarters, no new applications for approval for new wind turbines were submitted in the same period for the first time since the controversial 10H distance rule was introduced. This emerges from a response from the Ministry of Economic Affairs to a request from the Greens. For comparison: In 2012, 271 applications for permits were made, in 2013 there were 400, in 2014 there were 220 and in 2020 only 3.
With the 10-H rule, Bavaria has the strictest regulations nationwide.
A wind turbine needs a distance of at least 10 times its height to the nearest settlement.
As a rule, this is two kilometers at an average height of 200 meters, which makes the construction of wind turbines very difficult.
Former CSU Prime Minister Horst Seehofer introduced the rule in 2014.
10-hour rule: Söder and the CSU go on a confrontation – "it will not be shaken"
The Greens have wanted to overturn the 10-H rule for years.
"In Bavaria, we have now reached zero when it comes to wind power," says Martin Stümpfig, spokesman for energy policy for the Greens in the state parliament.
Wind power must now “finally be brought to life by abolishing 10H.”
The CSU sees things very differently. A few hours after Habeck's climate initiative last week, Secretary General Markus Blume spoke up. “The 10-H rule is not shaken. The Bavarian regulation on wind power ensures acceptance and ensures citizen participation.” The government partner is more willing to talk. The Free Voters could imagine an expansion of wind energy under certain conditions. Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger is considering more wind power in forests. As early as May, Free Voter Environment Minister Thorsten Faithr called for a move away from 10-H. But that is not possible without the more powerful government partner - and he will probably remain tough.
Prime Minister Markus Söder defends his energy policy.
"In Bavaria there are far fewer suitable areas for wind power than in northern Germany," argued the CSU leader in the
Handelsblatt
.
"In Bavaria, fewer areas are suitable for wind power, so that a large number of wind turbines would have to be concentrated in a few areas".
This is due "to the topography", not to a lack of political will.
It is about an overall concept, "each federal state should play to its strengths", in the Free State it is solar and not wind energy.
Wind power in Bavaria: SPD demands a government statement from Söder
The Greens are annoyed by this argument. "That doesn't work," said Green Party leader Ludwig Hartmann in an interview with the
Munich newspaper
. "Even my six-year-old son understands that the sun goes down at 6 p.m. in the evening, but the wind at the S-Bahn station is still whistling around the corner in the dark. We need both because that's the only way to have clean energy 24/7. Wind and sun complement each other wonderfully.”
Headwind also comes from the Bavarian SPD.
The opposition party even demands a government statement from Söder on the energy supply of the Free State.
"Prime Minister Markus Söder and Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger must answer the question of how the economy and consumers in Bavaria should be supplied with climate-neutral energy at affordable prices," said SPD parliamentary group and state leader Florian von Brunn of the dpa.
The SPD is for the abolition of the 10-H rule, if necessary also through a change in federal law.
Hartmann says: "I would like Markus Söder to give in beforehand.
But as I know him, Berlin will probably have to correct it."
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