Lauchheim hesitated: wind power decision before the deadline endangers climate goals!

Lauchheim hesitated: wind power decision before the deadline endangers climate goals!

The landscape could soon change around the "beautiful stone" in Lauchheim: the municipal council discusses the construction of wind turbines. Despite the feeling of urgency with regard to the upcoming participation period, which ends on May 23, the municipal council has not yet made a decision for the second hearing at its most recent meeting. The final decision on land use planning is due for May 22nd, and the plans are part of the goal of the regional association Ostwürttemberg, to achieve climate neutrality by 2040.

The Lauchheim climate protection advisory board perceives the intended areas for wind energy as insufficient. Association director Franka Zanek made it clear that 1.8% of the regional area for wind energy had to be shown by the end of 2025. So far, only 17 out of 20 planned priority areas have been realized since 2014, which corresponds to 1.5%. The distance to the required 0.3% area remains a challenge.

Current developments in Lauchheim

The planning looks exciting: The first draft included 30 new priority areas on an area of ​​4537 hectares, which corresponds to 2.1% of the total region area. However, the second draft only takes into account 18 priority areas and reduces the area to 2117 hectares, i.e. 0.99%. This reduction is due, among other things, to the securing of raw materials, monument conservation, water protection areas and entry -level lines.

For Lauchheim, every wind turbine would result in an annual intake of 30,000 euros plus lease. In the discussions, Mayor Andrea Schnele emphasized that the concerns of the municipality have already been taken into account in the previous hearing. But there are also concerns: Citizens express concerns about the influence of the wind farm on the cityscape and the concerns of the monument office. The Schwäbische Post reported by questions that are reported by city council members for the post-permission of such areas were raised.

The importance of wind turbine for Germany

in national context made massive progress in expanding wind power. This included a doubling of the newly installed wind power on land compared to 2018 to 2022. The Federal Network Agency announced that 2024 should be increased by 15 GW for renewable energies, which corresponds to a pleasant increase of almost 50% compared to the original plans. This shows the determined course of Germany, especially in the departure of gas imports from Russia.

Although around 3.6 GW wind power was installed in 2023, the goal of climate neutrality remains challenging. Klaus Heckenberger from Eurowind energy emphasizes that despite these progress, Germany's climate goals have not yet been reached. The number of permits for renewable energies has increased by 75%, but of a low starting level. These challenges are reinforced by lengthy approval procedures, which often take up to three years.

The regulation for the accelerated expansion of renewable energies has shortened the approval period, enables new environmental investigations to be omitted and thus represents a step in the right direction. But it does not solve all existing problems in the approval process. The pressure, both at regional and national levels, remains high to achieve the ambitious climate goals and to promote renewable energies.