The figures for 2020 represent an increase of 46% compared to 2019.
Around 339MW of the amount comprised repowering projects using 102 turbines.
The VDMA said the 1.4GW figure still falls short of the target set out in the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) 2021, adopted at the end of 2020, which envisages an expansion target of 71GW of onshore wind energy by 2030, with plans to increase it to 95GW.
VDMA Power Systems managing director Matthias Zelinger said: “While we have taken the first step out of the bottom with market growth in 2020, the ambition and reality gap between the requirements and reality of the addition are too far apart: the long-term outlook based on the EEG is positive, but in the short term there remains a serious discrepancy between the volume of tenders and the approvals.”
German onshore wind growth lags climate targets
Germany grew its onshore wind fleet by 1.4GW last year, but wind industry groups called for a faster expansion to help the country meet its climate targets
by Craig Richard
Germany’s cumulative onshore wind capacity grew to 54.9GW by the end of 2020 (pic credit: Enercon)
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The country’s energy issues have also threatened the stability of the larger European Union grid.
Germany once had one of the most stable and reliable power grids worldwide when the business of power generation was in the hands of engineers and experts. However, the rise of climate alarmism in the 1990s empowered activists and their political allies to push for “green energy.” Fluctuating and intermittent energy supply could be easily managed at a low cost, they insisted.
Their efforts led to the passing of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) in 2000. As it turned out, the EEG’s effectivity caused more harm than good to Germany’s power supply. It currently has the highest electricity prices in the world, forcing it to rely more on imports. It has also consistently failed to meet its emissions targets.
The federal government wanted to make the construction of new wind power and solar plants a question of national security by law. However, after opposition was expressed over the idea the controversial amendment to the energy transition law was dropped.
The federal government wanted to make the construction of new wind power and solar plants a question of national security by law. However, after opposition was expressed over the idea the controversial amendment to the energy transition law was dropped.
The sharpest criticism came from animal rights activists: “Obviously the federal government wants to provide the wind industry with a kind of license to kill when it comes to undermining the protection of strictly protected wild animals when such protections harm the profit interests of the wind lobby”, argued Harry Neumann, Federal Chairman of the Nature Conservation Initiative (NI) on the planned amendment to the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG).
The German Bundestag passed an amendment to the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) on Thursday (17 December), without support from the opposition. The leftist Die Linke and Greens have called for higher green electricity production targets while the liberal FDP wants to allow “negative emission technologies.” EURACTIV Germany reports.
The law will come into force on 1 January 2021, completely replacing the EEG Act of 2017, to help the country meet the goal of producing 65% of its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2030.
The Social Democrats (SPD) wanted to stipulate in the law that the expansion of renewable energies served public safety. This passage alarmed opposition parties and environmental protection organisations alike, as they feared that a legally stipulated public interest could also have an impact on judicial decisions.