The cities and municipalities in Bavaria fear disadvantages from new federal plans for the expansion of solar power. “The municipalities are committed to the expansion of renewable energies,” says the mayor of Straubing and chairman of the Bavarian Association of Cities, Markus Pannermayr (CSU). “But the energy transition only works with the municipalities, municipal control is the key to its success.”
The federal government wants to further accelerate the expansion of renewable energies and is therefore currently planning to make the approval of so-called open-space photovoltaic systems easier, for example in combination with arable farming, on moors or even on species protection areas – by federal law. Pannermayr fears that after the recent simplifications for the construction of wind turbines, municipal planning sovereignty would be further perforated. The cities don’t want to accept that, they resist it.
From Pannermayr’s point of view, the best way for municipalities to advance the expansion of renewable energies is in harmony with other important needs of the population – for example with sufficient space for apartments or recreation in nature. “For this reason, we need a municipally controlled expansion of renewable energies,” says Pannermayr.
In a catalog of demands to the state government, Pannermayr demands that the state of Bavaria first define long-term and reliable energy-related goals for Bavaria. Experts and trade associations have been calling for such goals for some time. So far, however, Prime Minister Markus Söder has not responded, at least not to their satisfaction. In addition, the state government should provide the cities with planning aids so that they can identify the potential for solar fields more easily and quickly. Demands that have also been made for a long time are for financial support for regional energy concepts and for simplified approval procedures – but for the cities and not from the top down from the federal government. Pannermayr has now confirmed this demand as well.