Municipalities near wind farms should receive ’wind levy‘ to secure acceptance of further expansion – think tank

The German government must take precautions to secure citizens’ acceptance for future wind power expansion, as it is a central pillar of the country’s energy transition, writes the energy think tank Agora Energiewende* in a report. Municipalities located near wind parks should in the future receive a “fair” share of these parks’ revenues through a levy paid by operators. “People should get more out of having new wind farms set up near their home,” said Agora Energiewende head Patrick Graichen. The money could, for instance, be used to help finance new kindergartens or other community projects. The think tank also calls on the government to let citizens participate in the planning process for new wind farms from an early point on. 

Find the press release in German here, and the full study in German here.

For background, read the CLEW factsheet Fighting windmills: When growth hits resistance and the dossier Onshore Wind Power in Germany.

*Like the Clean Energy Wire, Agora Energiewende is a project funded by Stiftung Mercator and the European Climate Foundation.