Bavaria's new energy concept: Söder's letter to Habeck - and the eternal dispute over 10H

Created: 05/17/2022, 10:18 am

By: Thomas Eldersch

Prime Minister Markus Söder and Ministers Hubert Aiwanger (left) and Florian Herrmann (right) hold a press conference after a cabinet meeting.

© Matthias Balk/dpa

Economics Minister Robert Habeck demands a new energy concept from Bavaria.

The Bavarian cabinet discussed this on Tuesday.

The results were presented at a press conference.

Munich – Bayern must come out of the kink.

Renewable energies must be expanded.

That is clear to everyone involved.

But how that should happen was discussed in the cabinet meeting headed by Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) from 9 a.m. today.

A new concept is expected in Berlin.

The head of state wants to present this at the subsequent press conference at 11.30 a.m.

(By the way: Our Bayern newsletter informs you about all the important stories from Bavaria. Register here.)

Energy concept from Bavaria: More wind energy by relaxing the 10H rule

Above all, Bavaria wants to focus on solar and wind power when it comes to renewable energies.

In order to further advance the expansion, especially in the wind energy sector, the CSU parliamentary group recently tinkered with their cherished 10H rule.

They didn't want to give it up, but compromises had to be found due to the pressure from the federal government.

And so the distance from wind turbines to motorways, railway lines, industrial areas and forests was reduced from 2000 to 1000 meters.

800 new wind turbines are to be created, said Söder in the subsequent press conference after the CSU meeting.

10H rule briefly explained:

A wind turbine in Bavaria must not be built too close to a populated area.

It must therefore be at least ten times its height away from residential development.

This means that with a wind turbine that is 200 meters high, the distance must be at least two kilometers.

A softening of the 10H rule was the minimum that Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) demanded from the Free State.

Should Bavaria be able to provide enough space for the expansion of wind energy, then it would not touch the 10H rule.

Söder reminded the Green Minister of this promise after the CSU board meeting on Monday, May 16th.

"We are already expecting the commitment from January to be in place."

Söder went on to explain what the CSU hears from Berlin and what is also in the federal government's draft bills, "one seems to feel little bound to this conversation." The CSU leader and Bavarian Prime Minister criticized this sharply: "If you look at commitments can no longer leave, then of course the overall seriousness of such actions is in doubt.

Energy concept from Bavaria: Söder Kabinett wants to rely on an energy mix

What exactly will be in the letter from Bavaria to the Economics Minister will probably only be found out at 11.30 a.m.

What is certain, however, is that the cabinet around Söder wants to continue to hold on to non-renewable forms of energy.

For example, both Söder and his deputy, Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger (free voters), are calling for it to be checked whether the remaining nuclear power plants can remain connected to the grid beyond 2022.

In addition, according to the press spokesman for the Ministry of Economics, they also want to stick to gas-fired power plants and energy from coal.

Aiwanger said a few weeks ago that one had to look around the world for coal.

The energy expert at the German Institute for Economic Research, Claudia Kemfert, told the BR that you should rely on three things: dodge, save and expand.

In terms of fossil fuels, one should switch to the supply from other countries in order to be able to do without Russian imports due to the war in Ukraine.

You have to start saving energy.

For example, she suggests a speed limit or car-free Sundays.

And renewable energies would have to be expanded further.

"In Bavaria, the 10H wind energy distance rule should therefore be abolished immediately," says the energy expert to BR.

All news and stories from Bavaria can now also be found on our brand new Facebook page Merkur Bayern.