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Repowering is an important component in achieving the targets for the development of onshore wind energy and thus also for the German climate protection targets. Repowering as a method seeks to to renew the old turbine population. Successful repowering is often associated with a reduction in the number of turbines while simultaneously increasing the total output and the expected electricity production of a project. In addition, established wind energy areas are usually used. Currently the topic is gaining in importance as more and more turbines are reaching the end of their design life of 20 years and, in addition, the shortage of available land for onshore wind energy is leading to an increased focus on possible repowering projects.
Against this background, the project pursues the primary goal of demonstrating possible solutions to resolve obstacles to the repowering of wind turbines. It focuses on the question of how to keep established sites for wind energy on a regional and municipal level available and how to increase the number of old wind turbines for repowering under the respecitve spatial planning laws. The Stiftung Umweltenergierecht (Foundation for Environmental Energy Law) therefore looks for possibilities to preserve established wind energy sites within future spatial planning. The project als develops options on how numerous repowering sites can already be preserved based on existing spatial plans. In addition to the studies in spatial planning law, and to address the challenging issue regarding noise in the approval of repowering installations, we develop options for noise remediation in the context of repowering. It analyses to what extent aspects of noise remediation can be taken into account within the immission control approval procedure and develops possible remedies to resolve existing obstacles. The results of the project will be compiled in practical guidelines and made available to relevant stakeholders.