Schmidgaden local council rejects wind power area SAD 11

Schmidgaden local council rejects wind power area SAD 11

At the last meeting of the municipal council on October 9, 2024, an important decision was made regarding the use of wind power in the municipality of Schmidgaden. The council has rejected the priority area for wind turbines called “SAD 11” proposed by the regional planning association. During the meeting, Mr. Janz, the managing director, explained the legal basis behind the Wind Energy Area Requirements Act and how this law is implemented at the state level by the planning associations.

Bavaria has set itself the goal of dedicating 1.1% of its land area to wind energy by the end of 2027 and 1.8% by the end of 2032. In Schmidgaden, a wind power zone of 45.2 hectares has already been defined in the land use plan. In addition, three areas were reported to the planning association for further use, so that a total of around 60 hectares of the municipal area is available for wind turbines.

The local council speaks out against wind farms

The local council has not only spoken out against the “SAD 11” area, which also affects the neighboring communities of Freudenberg and Fensterbach, but also against the “SAD 59” area, which is on the border with Schwarzenfeld. These decisions show that the community wants to play an active role in shaping its energy future.

The community has already made its contribution to the energy transition. The power lines of the Ostbayernring and the Süd-Ost-Link run through the municipal area, which particularly affects the owners of agricultural land. In addition, the conditions for the construction of open-space photovoltaic systems have been created along the motorway. A concept to create 20 hectares for such facilities has also been developed, which should be better taken into account in the current plans.

The criteria for determining priority areas vary in the 18 planning regions of Bavaria. The local council is calling for a uniform regulation that ensures that the distance to residential areas is at least 1000 meters, while 800 meters should apply outside. In addition, only areas with a wind quality of 60% or more should be considered. Military interests must also be taken into account during planning.

The latest information and documents from the planning association are available on the Upper Palatinate government website. There, anyone interested can find everything about regional planning in the Upper Palatinate-North region, including updates and participation procedures.