On the occasion of the 4th International Community Wind Symposium, the World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) and the NRW Renewable Energy Association (LEE NRW), are launching a new study entitled “Community wind in the second year of auctions: a lot of shadow, little light" on the state of community wind energy in NRW and Germany.
The study shows that the shift in the remuneration system from feed-in tariff to auctions exposes the community wind sector to many existential challenges, as the specific conditions and interests of the community power projects have been given insufficient consideration. In order to make the energy transition more efficient and more plan-able, including strong community power, the German Government and the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia should address a number of core issues: the political and economic risks for community power must be reduced and support increased.
Beyond the sale of electricity to the network operators, community power representatives see new prospects, especially in the areas of direct marketing, electromobility, heat supply and the associated sector coupling. Here, too, there are still considerable hurdles that should be removed in order to make the energy transition a success, based on strong and vivid community power.
The full study is currently only in German language available, the English version will follow in early June.
