Vattenfall: Permit applications for almost 1 GW

31.07.2025

Source: E & M powernews

950 MW of new wind power capacity in Germany: Energy giant Vattenfall says it submitted permit applications for 22 wind farms in the first half of the year.

Two-thirds of the German project pipeline from Vattenfall's onshore wind power division has reached the official channels. According to Vattenfall, a total of 22 permit applications for onshore wind projects were submitted to the authorities in the first half of the year. According to the Wind Acceleration Act (WindBG), 16 of these have been placed in "accelerated procedures". This was possible until the end of June. Following a month-long break due to the delayed implementation of the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED III), a similar regulation came into effect on August 1.

Many of the Vattenfall projects are planned in Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg. According to Vattenfall, the local political conditions are good: "We are perceiving a positive mood in municipalities," says a company spokesperson when asked by the editorial team. In some cases, Vattenfall has been selected by the municipalities in tendering procedures.

Start of construction in the Eifel in the fall

The Group puts the total volume of the projects applied for at 950 MW. In total, there is talk of a 1,500 MW pipeline for onshore wind in Germany. Vattenfall expects building permission to be granted "shortly" for three project applications submitted last year. One project in the Eifel has now been approved, the "Wolfsberg" project, as the company spokesperson explained when asked by this editorial team. Construction work is due to start this September.

"Germany is an attractive market for onshore wind and we are delighted to have reached this milestone. At the same time, we would also welcome it if the pace of the approval process is kept up and the RED III directive recently passed by the Bundestag and Bundesrat is now swiftly implemented," says Catrin Jung, Head of the Wind Division at Vattenfall since July 1. The Bundestag and Bundesrat finally approved the implementation law for onshore wind power on July 11. A separate draft implementation law for offshore wind and electricity grids is to be passed by the cabinet on August 6.

Vattenfall currently has around 1,400 wind turbines on land and at sea in its Wind division. The company puts the total output at 6,600 MW. The Swedish company plans to invest around 7 billion euros in wind energy by 2029.

Author: Manfred Fischer