A plan by Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) to strengthen the expansion of wind power is facing broad criticism. “We can no longer afford further uncertainties and investment barriers” said the SPD’s energy policy spokesperson, Nina Scheer, to the Tagesspiegel. The area targets for wind power are not a development limit and should no longer be defined as such in hindsight.
Earlier, a draft from the Ministry of Economics had become known, which was allegedly coordinated with the Ministry of Construction. This would allow regional planning authorities to temporarily prohibit a wind power project if the site is outside a designated or planned wind energy area. The industry responded with criticism to the proposal: “A no longer sufficiently legitimate federal government should refrain from such far-reaching interventions. It needs transparency and the inclusion of the industry and associations” said the President of the Federal Association of Wind Energy, Bärbel Heidebroek, to the Tagesspiegel.
Climate activists also reacted with alarm: “The signal alone that a green economics minister sends in the election campaign is fatal” said the Federal Managing Director of the German Environmental Aid, Barbara Metz. She called on Habeck to immediately clarify that there will be no restrictions on wind power with him.
Carla Reemtsma, a climate activist with Fridays for Future, criticized CDU leader Merz instead: “It’s absolutely unworthy of a chancellor candidate to put Economics Minister Robert Habeck under pressure and ask for favors in the sense of Merz’s electoral district in the middle of the election campaign” she said to the Tagesspiegel. However, she also warned Habeck: “If Economics Minister Robert Habeck were to give in to these advances and put our future at risk for possible coalition options, this would be a scandal – and a fatal mistake.