Bavaria's Wind Power Expansion Lags Behind National Average Despite Growth

Wind energy is growing in Bavaria, with 11 new turbines adding 59 megawatts of installed capacity in the first half of the year. This represents a 40% increase from the same period last year. However, this expansion pales in comparison to other German states, with Bavaria contributing only about 3% to the national net increase in wind power.

States like North Rhine-Westphalia (502 MW), Lower Saxony (381 MW), and Schleswig-Holstein (340 MW) have seen significantly larger expansions. Even Baden-Württemberg, which faces similar challenges to Bavaria regarding wind power development, added 169 megawatts.

The previous "10-H rule," which mandated significant setbacks from residential areas, had previously stalled wind power development in Bavaria. Since its repeal, the numbers have begun to rise. The state has a robust pipeline, with over 1,000 wind turbines in various stages of planning and approval, representing a potential capacity of over 6.6 gigawatts.

Despite this potential, Bavaria is struggling to secure guaranteed power purchase agreements for its wind energy projects. The state's share of awarded capacity in recent auction rounds was only 86 megawatts, a fraction of the national total and a two-thirds decrease from the previous year. Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger has called for greater consideration of southern German locations in federal auctions, arguing that electricity should be generated where it is needed to reduce grid strain and improve regional supply security.