Standstill in wind power: Why EnBW has to stop the construction plans!

Standstill in wind power: Why EnBW has to stop the construction plans!

The energy transition in Germany continues to be challenging, despite ostensible progress. Since August 2023, EnBW has officially received approval for the construction of wind turbines between Plüderhausen and Welzheim. This approval comes after all legal proceedings against the plans have been completed. The plan is to build three wind turbines in a forest area, which basically corresponds to the country's ambitious goals for the use of renewable energy. However, EnBW press spokeswoman Miriam Teige cannot currently provide any information about the exact start of construction, which raises questions about the actual implementation
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A look at the current legislation shows that the expansion of renewable energies in Germany should be promoted through several legal frameworks. In particular, the “Easter package”, which came into force in 2022, represents the largest energy policy amendment in years. The aim is to promote the faster and more consistent expansion of renewable energies, which is anchored in the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). These legislative measures also include the provision of mandatory area targets for wind energy in the Onshore Wind Act, which came into force in February 2023.

Overview of the legal situation

As part of these legal requirements, the federal states must designate at least two percent of their area for wind energy by the end of 2032. An example of this are the windy plateaus around Burladingen. Furthermore, an EU emergency regulation that was passed at the beginning of 2023 stipulates that procedural steps for approval procedures that have already begun can be suspended for a period of 18 months, which increases the dynamic in the expansion of renewable energies. The project in Burladingen also benefits from these new procedural simplifications, which should lead to shorter approval times overall.

Another important step in this issue is the law implementing the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III), which came into force in July 2025. It sets clear guidelines to accelerate the approval processes for systems that generate electricity from renewable energies. The EU has set the goal of ensuring at least 42.5 percent of gross final energy consumption comes from renewable sources by 2030. At the national level, at least 80 percent of electricity consumption should be covered by renewable resources by 2030.

The challenges and the future

The new law also offers the possibility of creating so-called acceleration areas for onshore wind energy. Wind turbines and energy storage systems should receive preferential approval in these areas. From November 2025, applications in these areas will only be possible electronically, which will simplify the administrative processes. Binding maximum deadlines for approvals will be introduced, which can range from one month to two years depending on the scope of the project. This should enable more efficient planning and implementation of projects.

It remains to be seen how these measures will specifically support the expansion of wind power, particularly with regard to the EnBW project in Plüderhausen and Welzheim. Despite all the legal progress, experience in recent years shows that even with approvals, many hurdles remain. Companies are called upon to use the new regulations and adapt to the digitalization of application processes in order to be able to successfully implement their projects.

For further information on the approval procedures for wind turbines in Germany, read more at EnBW and ZVW as well as the details on the implementation of RED III KPMG Law.