Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
farms.
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Alleviating stakeholder concerns through technological advances
has emboldened German energy policymakers to support enhanced levels
of wind power development.
On the other hand, the cost of delivering wind power from supply cen-
ters (predominantly located in northern Germany and in remote coastal
areas) to demand centers found in south and west Germany presents a
inancial challenge that the government is still trying to resolve. In particu-
lar, the government has recognized that connecting remote ofshore wind
parks represents a bottleneck that inhibits the pace and scale of develop-
ment.
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he government initially responded to this challenge by revising
the Renewable Energy Sources Act of 2004 to permit higher feed-in tarifs
and to extend the period of maximum reimbursement for ofshore proj-
ects.
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However, there is still considerable disagreement over how grid con-
nection costs should be shared.
he government seems to have recognized that technological understand-
ing leads to better policymaking. In 2005, it established the Ofshore Wind
Energy Foundation, which has a remit to support technological research,
environmental monitoring of the efects of construction, research on the
suitability and efectiveness of state instruments for the promotion of of-
shore wind energy, and the exchange and transfer of knowledge. his foun-
dation is guided by a board of trustees that include ofshore wind power
plants manufacturers, developers, electricity utilities, insurance companies,
inancial institutions, NGOs, engineering oices, representatives from the
construction industry, subcontractors, northern German coastal states, and
federal ministries.
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5.6 POLITICAL INFLUENCES ON POLICY
5.6.1 National Political Structure
A political desire to demonstrate leadership within the European Union was
a factor underpinning national support for wind power development. In
the late 1990s, an EU directive on the promotion of renewable energies was
announced. In support of this directive, EU nations were asked to commit
themselves to the liberalization of national electricity markets. In Germany,
this led to an amendment of the Energy Industry Act in 1998, which liberal-
ized electricity generation in Germany and laid the structural foundation
for enhanced contributions from renewable energy providers.
Aside from international motives, domestically there has been broad
political support since the late 1980s for wind power development. As a tes-
tament to this, the initial feed-in law of 1991 was supported by a plurality
