In the last few years of the Merkel government, many complaints were heard from the wind energy industry about the sluggish progress. The stagnation is over, the signs are pointing to a new beginning.
Rostock (dpa/mv) – According to the energy company Iberdrola, the federal government, which has been in office since December, has brought new impetus to the renewable energy sector in Germany. The energy shortage as a result of the Ukraine war is also causing the offshore wind industry’s largely dormant plans to be resumed, said the managing director of Iberdrola Germany, Iris Stempfle, the German Press Agency before a meeting with suppliers on Tuesday in Rostock.
In general, she also gave a positive assessment of the federal government’s Easter package, which is intended to set important cross-statute decisions for the development of offshore wind farms. For the successful implementation of the energy transition, it is essential to ensure the competitiveness of the German market in international comparison.
At the supplier meeting, around 100 local companies come together with Iderdrola and the three main contractors for the future wind farm east of Rügen. Iberdrola and the MV wind energy network want to make an important contribution to local value creation.
Construction of the “Baltic Eagle” is scheduled to begin before the end of this year, and in 2024 the park will be connected to the grid with 50 turbines, each with 9.5 megawatts. According to Stempfle, Iberdrola’s investment in “Baltic Eagle” amounts to around 2.5 billion euros, which is spread across the entire supply chain. Together with the offshore wind farm “Windanker”, which is currently being planned, the investments will be around 3.5 billion euros. With the existing “Wiking” wind farm, Iberdrola will supply more than 1.1 million households with Baltic Sea wind power from 2026.
As Stempfle further said, the operation of the “Baltic Eagle” would be used to study the effects on bird migration. “Based on the available knowledge, no negative effects on bird migration are to be expected.” Extensive data is now being collected with radar and camera systems.