For a nation that is ranked third in the world for renewable energy capacity, a slow year for the onshore wind market is a big blow. In 2019, Germany saw the most stifled growth for turbine installation since the year 2000.

During 2019 year, a total of 1,078 MW of new capacity was added. Data reveals this number is 55% less than that registered in 2018.

The culprits? There seem to a host of reasons for the slowdown in the onshore wind market. For one, feed-in-tariffs are being replaced by a new auctioning model. This system will open the market to community projects that don’t require permits prior to bidding.

While community projects are a great initiative, they come with challenges of their own. These include, local communities protesting to developing projects, or bureaucratic control at various levels of authority.

However, as the nation settles into these changes, the outlook for onshore wind market seems to be positive. Bids awarded back in 2017 and 2018 will begin commissioning in 2021. Therefore, through 2021, turbine installations are set to rise to 3.5 gigawatts.

Onshore Wind Targets for a Clean Germany

Germany has always been at the forefront of the #gogreen agenda. Wind, in particular, is an important driver to achieve its goal of 65% clean energy production come 2030.

Experts from the Wind Energy Association assert that to meet this target after a slow 2019, the onshore wind market will have to expand by at least 5000 MWs each year. And needless to say, plans for these installations were hampered by the COVID19 pandemic.

To help the onshore wind market, and to stay on track to achieving its 2030 climate target, the German government has changed a number of laws. This includes banning the infamous ‘1-km rule’.

Thus, making it easy for operators and developers to get more turbines on the ground at a faster rate.