Gigantic wind farm in the Reinhardswald: Start of construction despite complaints!

Gigantic wind farm in the Reinhardswald: Start of construction despite complaints!

In the idyllic region of Reinhardswald, construction work for one of the largest wind farms in Hesse is in full swing. The foundations for 18 wind turbines are currently being created, which should make a massive contribution to renewable energy supply in the coming years. The wind farm, which is being built on part of the 20,000 hectare forest area, has been a much discussed project since its approval in February 2022. The construction work started in November 2024, but delayed themselves through protests and several lawsuits. According to HNA, the wind farm will deliver around 300,000 megawatt hours of electricity for around 80,000 to 100,000 households every year supply.

The construction company has currently started to concret the foundations for the wind turbines. 780 concrete mixers are in use for this work. Each foundation has a diameter of 26 meters and contains about 100 tons of steel. It is expected to quickly process the concrete to avoid the formation of air holes. The forest floor is removed, but according to those responsible, no ground remains in the forest; The top and underbody are stored separately. While the top floor is planted with forest perennial rye, a large steel tank with 50,000 liters of water is planned for fire protection.

controversial permits and lawsuits

Despite the ambitious plans, the wind farm society is faced with massive resistance. Six lawsuit and three urgent procedures are currently pending at the Hessian Administrative Court. These complaints come from various environmental organizations, the municipality of Wesertal and residents. In particular, it is criticized that the streets are wider for the transport of building materials than originally approved. Instead of the announced 4.5 meters, the actual widths are between 6 and 8 meters. The Tagesschau even reports protests that are not only supported by environmentalists, but also by right-wing extremists. Mayor of several communities are calling for the Reinhardswald as a nature reserve.

The wind farm society, however, sees itself strengthened in its argument and contradicts the allegations that building materials could endanger the drinking water. Special conditions apply in the water protection area: building materials must not get into the ground, and machines must be accommodated in special places.

The future of wind power in Hesse

With the wind farm in the Reinhardswald, Hessen pursues ambitious destinations in the field of renewable energies. There are currently 1,182 wind turbines in Hesse, and in 2024 permits for 170 new plants were granted. Despite the challenges in the approval of new wind power projects, the proportion of renewables in gross electricity generation in Hessen has already risen to around 60% at the end of 2023. Nevertheless, the Federal Association sees wind energy needs, especially compared to other federal states. The approval times have already been reduced from 35 to 15 months, but the path to further expansion of wind turbines remains rocky, as the current conflicts show. It remains to be seen whether and how the legal disputes affect the construction progress.

Find out about the current developments of wind energy in Hesse on the website of the Lea Hessen, which explains the framework conditions and laws for wind turbines in Germany. In the region, an important step towards sustainable energy supply was taken. However, the social consensus still remains a critical topic on the best way to the green future.