Troubled German turbine manufacturer Senvion has filed for self-managed administration proceedings as its search to secure finance continues. In February, Senvion launched an action plan to reorganise the company after a series of "operational mistakes" led to a financing squeeze and a downgrade of its outlook for 2019.

General Germany

Sweeping distance rules for onshore wind could further reduce already scarce land resources and impede reaching the wind expansion necessary for Germany’s renewable energy targets, a new study by the country’s environmental agency (UBA) found.

Zoning/Planning Germany

According to the wind turbine manufacturer, a lightning strike could have been the reason why the rotor blade broke loose.

Safety Structural Failure Germany

Wind turbines for power generation should actually produce more electricity with increasing wind strength. However, this is exactly what they often do not do, which has confused experts for years. The puzzle could already have been solved in 2001 thanks to a new study: dead insects that stick to wind turbines should be responsible for the low yield.

Impact on Wildlife Germany

Several roads were closed Monday morning after a wind turbine in the Hahnweiler / VG Baumholder wind farm experienced a blade failure.

Safety Structural Failure Germany

Video by the German Association for Noise Pollution Protection of Humans and Animals (Deutsche Schutz-Gemeinschaft Schall für Mensch und Tier - DSGS e.V.). English translation by NA-PAW.org — Subtitles by Friends-Against-Wind.org. “Unexplained medical emergencies and illness. As in the case of increased medical emergencies, accidents, and psychological symptoms with foehn (hot southerly winds on the northern slopes of the Alps [translator: similar to Chinooks]), the same is true for residents near wind turbines.”

Impact on People Noise Germany

“This is now the 3rd German onshore wind auction in a row that’s been under-subscribed,” explained WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson. “It’s clear the permitting process is not fit for purpose. It’s taking longer and longer to get a permit. The Bundesländer are reluctant to identify new locations for wind farms. And even if wind farms do get a permit, many then get caught up in legal disputes, which is pushing up costs.

Energy Policy Germany

The Federal Agency for Nature Conservation makes an ecological absurdity of the energy transition that anyone can see: the protection of the world's climate destroys the native nature.

Impact on Landscape Energy Policy Germany

In the district of Uelzen, the blade of a wind turbine broke off during a storm and fell to the ground. An investgation is called for to determine the cause of the incident.

Safety Structural Failure Germany

LAHR Germany -  Early Friday morning at 2.30 am police reported a turbine fire on the Langenhard near Lahr. At the same time, the Integrated Control Center Ortenau received the message that a wind turbine was burning on the Langenhard. The fire had already been seen on the way to the equipment house of the Seelbach Fire Department, said Operations Manager Bernd Wagner. This was his second wind turbine fire. The first was in 2013 - also on the Langenhard. Efforts to extinguish the fire remain highly dangerous because of the height of the turbine and the falling debris. Therefore, the fire department has cordoned off a radius of 500 meters, according to Wagner. A police helicopter was also requested to take survey photos and look for possible forest fires. The fire is over but the work is still ongoing. The fire department is preparing for a long operation.

Safety Structural Failure Germany

Germany saw a sharp fall in the number of new onshore wind turbines installed last year, industry groups said on Tuesday, and warned there was little prospect of a recovery without government help.

Energy Policy Germany

This paper examines the impact of wind turbines on residential property values. The abstract of the paper is provided below. The full paper can be accessed at the document link(s) on this page.

Property Values Germany

A study by the RWI - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research shows that wind turbines can lead to falling prices of single family homes in the immediate vicinity. The value of a house one kilometer away from a wind turbine drops on average by a good 7 percent. For the study, the RWI has evaluated almost 3 million sales offers 

Property Values Germany

If the annual energy balance for renewables is more positive from year to year, then such celebration is based on a very one-sided view of pure production volumes. Little is said about the contribution of renewables to a reliable power supply.

Energy Policy Germany

A spectacular accident on Monday morning: In a field between Gau-Bickelheim and Wallertheim near the A61 motorway, the almost 55-meter-long and ten-ton blade of a wind turbine was broken off shortly before 8 o'clock and crashed onto an adjacent field. Persons were not injured in the incident, fire department and police secured the accident site.

Safety Structural Failure Germany

A Kenersys K110 2.4 megawatt wind erected in 2012-2013 experienced a catastrophic blade failure. The blade was nearly 55-meters long. The turbine has a hub height of 145 meters and rotor diameter 109 meters.

Safety Structural Failure Germany

This small increase was reflected in its power generation figures, as renewables produced 6.2TWh between 1 January and 30 September in 2017, and 6.3TWh this year. However, Innogy explained that "particularly low wind levels, especially in the second and third quarters of 2018 in the UK and Germany, led to reduced utilisation of existing plants".

General Germany UK

Important 28-minute documentary by the science program “planet e.” presented on the second German television ZDF. Special thanks to Friends Against Wind for bringing this to our attention.

Impact on People Noise Germany

Medical and scientific evidence is increasing that not only some animals, but also humans are able to perceive infrasound below the hearing threshold. This is not surprising actually, because "infrasound is an energy," explains Prof. Vahl, "And every energy has physical effects, whether you hear it or not." 

Impact on People Noise Germany

Proposals to allow states to set their own setback rules and to abolish wind farms' privileges under German building laws have been presented to the federal council. North Rhine-Westphalia and Brandenburg’s suggestions were discussed in the country's upper house, the Bundesrat, on 19 October and could be voted on in December, according to the German wind energy association (BWE).

Impact on People Germany