Planned Wind Farm in North German Forest Enrages Community

Plans to install a wind farm in the privately owned Knyphauser forest in Friedeburg, Lower Saxony, have evoked protests within the community and divided local politics with conflicting interests. 

Germany's agenda for its energy to become 'greener' has been an ongoing public debate. Over the past two decades, the share of renewable energy in electricity consumption grew from barely existent to over one-third. By next year, Germany aims to derive 40 to 45 per cent of electricity according to the country's Renewable Energy Act. 

The German Ministerium for Economy and Climate Protection (BMWK) names wind energy as the driving force of the energy turnaround, making up around half of the renewable energy supply. Therefore, the government supports and subsidises the expansion of wind farms nationwide. 

However, the challenges of building and locating new wind farms are complex. The considerations range from profitability and impact on the local population to finding a big enough space for the up to 250 metres high modern onshore wind turbines in a densely populated country. 

An innovative way to seemingly avoid this lack of space is to build wind farms within forests. The turbines tower over the treetops and utilise the wind power without disrupting communities through noise and shadow, the WPD, one of Germany's leading developers and operators of wind farms, says on its website.

Despite that, the recent announcement to build such a wind farm in the Knyphauser forest in Friedeburg, was not welcomed by everyone. Up to 33 wind turbines are currently planned to be built within the forest. 

Hans-Hernmann Lohfeld, a politician from the locally governing SPD, justifies the project by pointing to its economic benefits. In the Anzeiger für Harlingerland in Wittmund, Lohfeld says that the project's profits could improve the municipality's economic state. 

Conversely, Nicole Henkel, Green Party spokesperson in Friedeburg, says the main problem in protecting the forest is that it is privately owned. Henkel tells The Glass Room that these investments do not return to the community. She says that if this investment came from non-private parties, the region would notice the actual benefit of the profits through governmental support.

"In the case of the Knyphauser forest, the wind farm benefits a few at the expense of many," Henkel explains

"Of course, the owner has an economic motivation", Henkel says. She explains that generating a constant income through renewable energy production is much easier than forestry nowadays. "You can only harvest trees every couple of years, and everything that is cut down needs to be replaced", she continues. Here, Henkel refers to the country's strict regulations against deforestation.

Nicole Henkel (image provided by her)

Even though it is currently used for forestry purposes, the impacts of a wind farm would be much worse, says Henkel. She tells The Glass Room that installing a wind farm in one of the region's three forests would significantly impact the community and the forest ecosystem. 

"It is not only about the turbines being there. The massive parts must get to the forest and be assembled on location. You cannot do that without harming the existing forest," Henkel says. Additionally, every turbine will need to be embedded in concrete, eliminating any existing wildlife, she continues.

The region, dependent on agriculture, is already fighting the results of the climate crisis. Due to the increase of extreme weather events in recent years, the importance of having forested areas is playing an increasing role, says Henkel.

Next to helping with erosion and water absorption, the forest helps reduce the dust exposure produced through intensive farming while being one of the most effective natural Co2 storages, she adds. "It does not get a lot 'greener' than this".