Municipalities in Saxony to receive more money for wind turbines

Saxony's municipalities are to earn more from wind power in future. The municipalities within a 2.5 kilometer radius of a wind turbine are to receive 0.3 cents per kilowatt hour generated, report the "Sächsische Zeitung" and "Leipziger Volkszeitung", referring to a draft bill from the CDU, SPD and the Sahra Wagenknecht alliance. However, an electricity price credit for every resident is not planned.

Communities currently receive 0.2 cents for wind turbines approved from 2025 onwards. "That amounts to up to 40,000 euros for an average wind turbine," calculated Ingo Flemming (CDU), member of the state parliament. This could be used to financially support swimming pools and sports clubs, for example. The money should be paid by the wind turbine operators, he said. However, they could recoup some of the costs from the Energy and Climate Fund.

Criticism from the Association for Renewable Energies

The Association for Renewable Energies (VEE) criticized the increased revenue share for distorting competition. The expansion of renewable energies in Saxony would thus become significantly more expensive and less attractive for project developers than in other federal states. The amendment is therefore a "prevention law" for the expansion of renewable energies in the Free State.

The VEE is calling for a uniform nationwide regulation, as not every federal state currently obliges energy companies to share in the profits. "If the wind turbines are then built in Brandenburg or Saxony-Anhalt instead, this will ultimately bring neither money nor acceptance to the municipality," said Thomas Löser, member of the Saxon Green Party in the state parliament.

Saxony also wants to adjust the area target for wind power expansion

The new law also includes another new regulation. The area target for wind turbines is to be reduced by 2027. Instead of 2 percent, only 1.3 percent of the land area is to be designated for wind turbines. Currently, 0.2 percent of the state's land area is designated for wind turbines. By order of the federal government, two percent of the state's land area must be designated for wind energy by 2032. Saxony wanted to achieve this earlier during the era of Green Environment Minister Wolfram Günther.