Wind energy installations go through a demanding procedure under immission-control law. Anyone who knows it and sets up the necessary assessments early significantly shortens the approval.
The procedure at a glance
Wind energy installations above a certain height are, as a rule, authorised in the immission-control procedure under the Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG). This procedure bundles numerous individual aspects into one approval and is correspondingly extensive.
Approval planning prepares this procedure: it compiles the application documents, coordinates the required assessments and accompanies the consultation with authorities and public agencies.
The required assessments
The greater part of the effort consists of the specialist assessments. Typical ones include:
- Noise assessment: proof that the immission limits at the neighbourhood are met.
- Shadow-flicker assessment: limitation of the periodic shadow cast by the rotors.
- Species protection: investigation of wind-sensitive species, often over a whole season.
- Further assessments depending on the location, for example on the landscape, soil or water.
The species-protection investigations in particular are time-critical because they are tied to the seasons. Anyone who commissions them too late easily loses a whole year.
The approval planning process
Why early planning is decisive
With a wind farm the schedule is decided almost entirely in the early phase. Season-bound assessments, the availability of land and the consultation with the approval authority determine the earliest point at which the project can be approved.
Experienced approval planning recognises risks such as species protection or distance rules early and decides whether a location is viable before much money flows into detailed planning. This protects against costly dead ends.
Land, distances and acceptance
Besides the assessments, the land determines the project. Availability, ownership and designation as a wind-priority or suitability area are often the first hurdles, long before technology is at issue.
Added to this are distance rules to residential development, which vary from state to state and can severely limit the possible location. Anyone who does not check these rules early risks, in the end, not being allowed to build on a technically ideal location after all.
A third factor is local acceptance. Wind projects are regularly the subject of public debate, and objections in the procedure can considerably lengthen the schedule. Early, transparent communication with the municipality and residents pays off.
These factors cannot be remedied after the fact. They belong in the very first assessment of a location, together with the season-bound assessments and the grid connection.
Häufige Fragen
Which procedure do wind energy installations go through?
As a rule the immission-control procedure under the Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG), which bundles many individual aspects into one approval.
What assessments are required?
Among others noise and shadow-flicker assessments as well as species-protection investigations, plus others depending on the location. The species-protection assessments are season-bound and time-critical.
Why is early planning so important?
Because season-bound assessments and approval-critical questions determine the schedule. An early preliminary check prevents costly dead ends.
Edoé Lassey
Edoé Lassey führt die LND Ingenieure GmbH als Bauüberwacher und Ingenieur für Infrastruktur- und Tiefbau. Die zertifizierten Rollen Technischer Berechtigter, Sicherungsüberwacher, Schaltantragsteller und Bauvorlageberechtigung gehören zum Leistungskern.
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