Munich (dpa / lby) – Bavaria’s Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger has again defended against criticism the state government’s fundamental adherence to the controversial minimum distance rule for wind turbines. With a large number of exceptions, care will be taken to enable wind power over a wide area, said the Free Voters chief on Tuesday in a government statement in the state parliament in Munich. After Pentecost, the new regulations would be implemented. Among other things, the minimum distance between wind turbines and settlement areas should be reduced to 1000 meters in the vicinity of commercial areas.

However, it is clear that the current output needs to be “multiplied” if the self-imposed goals for electricity from renewable energies are to be achieved, said Aiwanger. The photovoltaic output must also be multiplied.

Aiwanger again called for longer lifetimes for nuclear power plants. For the Isar 2 kiln, a longer use beyond the turn of the year “at least by several months” should be prepared, just in case the gas storage tanks are not sufficiently filled by then. “Otherwise you do tightrope walking without a net,” said Aiwanger. Renewable energies are important – “but we would like to have this double safety net set up”.

Aiwanger accused the opposition and the federal government of either completely blocking the use of hydrogen or slowing down the country’s economy with a lack of commitment. In the end, it must all be about eliminating the current energy crisis. No party in the state parliament and in the Bundestag can have an interest in high energy costs. This endangers prosperity in Germany.