The end of the controversial 10 H distance rule for wind power, announced by Federal Climate Protection Minister Robert Habeck (Greens), has met with massive criticism from the CSU in Bavaria. “The 10-H rule is not shaken. The Bavarian regulation on wind power ensures acceptance and ensures public participation,” said CSU General Secretary Markus Blume on Tuesday in Munich. Economy Minister Hubert Aiwanger (Free Voters), on the other hand, was open to Habeck’s move.
The Bavarian 10-H regulation states that a wind turbine must be at least ten times its height away from residential developments. It is the strictest regulation in Germany. Habeck had previously stated on request that he wanted to overturn the distance regulation in the Free State: “Where distance rules are in place in order to carry out prevention planning, they can no longer exist.”
Habeck and the Ampel government want significantly more areas to be made available for onshore wind power than before. The goal of two percent of the land area for onshore wind energy is to be enshrined in law. So far, only Hesse and Schleswig-Holstein come close to two percent, said Habeck. The Green politician announced intensive talks with the countries. This will be a “laborious process”, but should not lead to a delay.
Blume continued to attack Habeck in his reaction. This should take better care of the necessary line construction and the prevention of supply gaps, criticized Blume the Federal Minister. “Even a quick suggestion of how the galloping energy costs can be absorbed would be in the interests of millions of Germans.” The Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs and head of the Free Voters, Hubert Aiwanger, said on the other hand: “We have to find ways in Bavaria to build more wind turbines again in agreement with the local citizens. Where there is acceptance, the procedures have to go faster, through 10 hours it becomes possible via the land-use planning, but very complicated. “
Aiwanger is not considered a friend of the 10-H rule. His party colleague Thorsten Glauber – Minister of the Environment in Bavaria – last tried to overturn the rule in May, but failed because of resistance from the CSU. Now Glauber explained: “We also need wind power if we want to be successful in climate protection. If you want to expand wind power, you have to deal with the 10-H regulation.” Aiwanger also criticized the plans from Berlin: “Stubbornly allocating two percent of the country’s area for wind power is not expedient,” he said.
The chairman of the Bund Naturschutz in Bayern, Richard Mergner, was pleased. Habeck’s statement, give hope, “that the unspeakable 10-H rule in Bavaria will actually soon be abolished. Bavaria’s long-standing blockade would then finally be broken.” He hopes “that Prime Minister Markus Söder will recognize the signs and now initiate a smooth end to the wind power prevention rule”.
However, the Bavarian building minister Kerstin Schreyer (CSU) also emphasized that she wanted to hold on to 10 H: With her, “a balance has been created between the interests of residents and the promotion of renewable energies and the participation of local authorities and citizens has been strengthened. We leave don’t ruin it for us from Berlin. “