The growth of onshore wind energy is collapsing in Germany, jeopardising both German and European renewables targets, according to a statement issued by WindEurope on Friday, 10 May.
Germany installed just 134 MW of new onshore wind farms in the first quarter of 2019 – this is the country’s worst first quarter for onshore installations since 2000, estimates WindEurope.
Germany is likely to install a total of just 1-2 GW of onshore wind farms this year. “This is significantly down on the past five years when Germany installed an average of 4.3 GW per year”, explains WindEurope. The organisation believes that this figure is well below what Germany needs to meet its target. In addition, it could jeopardise the EU target of renewable energies accounting for 32% of EU energy consumption by 2030.
In the coalition contract signed a year ago, Angela Merkel's government committed to producing 65% of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030, compared to 40% the previous year.
WindEurope estimates that offshore wind energy in Germany “will not fill the gap”, since Germany is due to build just 730 MW per year up to 2030.
WindEurope says this is in contrast with Spain, for example, which will build around 4 GW of new wind energy generation facilities in 2019. “Some of the slowdown in Germany is the result of failed tender systems in 2017, when many projects were awarded without due authorisation”, WindEurope points out. In addition, according to the organisation, public authorities are not meeting their deadlines and many wind energy projects are facing legal proceedings. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)