Wind power in the Munich area: The 1.8 percent mission begins

Created: 09/20/2022, 20:00

By: Charlotte Borst

After years of little activity, sufficient areas for wind power are now to be designated for the district of Freising.

© Boris Roessler/dpa/archive image

District administrators and mayors of the Munich region want to quickly designate areas for wind power.

The Freising district administrator is particularly concerned with one question.

District

– Six months before the Wind-on-Land Act comes into force, the Munich region is trying to find the required areas for wind power.

District administrators, mayors and city councilors met yesterday (TUESDAY, September 20th) in Oberhaching.

It's about keeping an eye out for where up to 400 wind turbines could be built in the Munich region.

By the end of 2027, the countries should identify 1.1 percent of their area for wind power.

In the Munich region, which includes the state capital of Munich and the districts of Dachau, Ebersberg, Erding, Freising, Fürstenfeldbruck, Landsberg, Munich and Starnberg, that is 61 square kilometers.

By 2032, even 1.8 percent must be designated, 99 square kilometers of the region's area.

"We shouldn't plaster the landscape with wind turbines like a crumble cake, but bundle wind turbines together," said Christian Breu, Managing Director of the Regional Planning Association (RPV).

The planning committee unanimously decided that they wanted to reach their goal quickly and now set criteria for a concept.

In addition, an advisory board made up of mayors and district administrators will now be established to anchor the search broadly.

Erding's mayor is concerned that too many "conflict groups" will have a say

The RPV association chairman, Oberhaching's mayor Stefan Schelle (CSU), will invite one representative each from the state capital and the eight districts, who will be named by the city and districts beforehand.

"The main thing on the advisory board is to find out early on where there is a problem," says Schelle.

In addition, representatives of forestry and agriculture, nature conservation and power infrastructure are allowed to participate, as well as the expert Professor Michael Schmitt from the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Neubiberg and Windkümmerer Peter Beermann.

During the meeting, the President of the Bavarian Hunting Association, Member of the State Parliament Ernst Weidenbusch (CSU), also asked to be included.

"The hunters like to be there," Schelle replied: "The more involved, the better, as long as we remain able to act." This is exactly where Erding's Mayor Max Gotz (CSU) has doubts.

He fears “that the advisory board will get carried away if too many conflict groups have a say.

Because in the end it is not the associations that have to represent the planning before the citizens, but we, the mayors and district administrators.” But Schelle trusts in the decision-making power of the planning committee: “In the end, it is our job to deal with interests and conflicts.” to improve the nature conservation associations: "Anyone who wants to can work."

A minimum distance of 1000 meters to residential areas is sufficient

The RPV will now identify taboo areas that are not suitable for wind power, such as nature reserves, Natura 2000 areas or settlement areas.

The municipalities are then asked where they see suitable areas.

In addition, the RPV will develop criteria that the municipalities can use to run through scenarios of where wind turbines could be located.

One thing is certain: "The previous 10H rule will no longer apply," says Schelle: "A minimum distance of 1000 meters from residential areas is sufficient."

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Ismaning's Mayor Alexander Greulich (SPD) described how air traffic safety requirements make it difficult to search for areas in the airport region and around Schleißheim airfield.

Such laws would be "changed significantly in favor of wind power," said Breu.

Freising's district administrator is particularly moved by one question

But what happens if the Munich region does not have enough space?

"Will there then be a mediation process, or will everyone be lumped together?" asked Freising's District Administrator Helmut Petz (free voters).

Breu emphasized: "It's a joint task." Not every municipality can achieve 1.1 percent, the state capital or the edge of the Alps have a hard time there, "then other municipalities have to take over."

(By the way: everything from the region is now also available in our regular Freising newsletter.)

In any case, you should set off quickly, Schelle clarified: "Head in the sand - that's the wrong posture.

If you do not identify anything, you will no longer be able to control it in the end.” Then wind turbines would be privileged everywhere outdoors, and investors might build exactly where nobody wanted them.

"The fact that we are already starting in the Munich region shows how important this topic is to us," said Schelle.

In an interview with the FT, the head of the planning association explains how the wind power mission in the Regino should succeed.