Reference project Wölkisch
Wölkisch
Saxony, Germany
- 10 units
- Senvion MM92
- 20.5 MW Total Capacity
- Commissioning 2015
- Project Development, Operation Management
Since 2015, Wölkisch windfarm has become part of the Lommatzscher Pflege, an undulating landscape on the lefthand side of the Elbe valley and northwest of the city of Meißen. Besides favorable weather conditions, the area features a particularly fertile soil. Hence, it was crucial for the project’s success to cooperate closely with local countrymen, which meant adapting the locations of wind farms, crane sites and access roads early in the planning process.
A long way to go
Already since 1997, VSB had been planning to generate clean energy in Lommatzsch and the surrounding area. Consequently, we kept a close contact with local stakeholders for all these years. However, for the windfarm to become reality, it took various adaptions of the regional development plan Oberes Elbtal/Osterzgebirge, and possible limitations of the wind turbines remained a constant source of uncertainty.
For this reason, the City of Lommatzsch started the proceedings for obtaining permission to deviate from the planning objective at the spatial planning authority. Thus, the priority area for wind energy could be reshaped. This procedure was key to the realisation of the Wölkisch Windfarm and marks a positive exception in Saxony’s regulatory landscape.
Creating local acceptance for wind energy
Wölkisch windfarm has been designed including a participation scheme to make locals benefit from wind energy. In Lommatzsch, Diera-Zehren and Hirschstein, interested members of the public could make a savings deposit, thus profiting by a guaranteed, above-average interest rate financed by ’their’ windfarm.
To boost energy efficieny and to permanently decrease the spendings on energy, VSB took a close look at the municipal energy consumption for real estate and road lightning, framed by an integrated climate and energy concept for the City of Lommatzsch. The resulting savings potentials highlighted fields of action for relieving the community’s treasury.
Environmental Protection
Nature was given back important ground by the transformation and plantation of formerly impervious surfaces after unused buildings had been demolished. Today, these areas are covered with bushes and trees. They augment the touristically attractive landscape around Lommatzsch, characterized by lanes of old fruit-bearing trees along the country roads. Also, rare herbaceous plants can once again be found on the newly created biotope. All this adds to making Wölkisch Windfarm a milestone for bringing together wind energy and environmental protection.
„Ammending of an old lane of cherry trees in Schwochau with young and vigorous trees, VSB makes an important contribution to preserving the historical roadsystem of the Lommatzscher Pflege as a space of natural experience for the future.”
Franziska Schütze – Verein Lommatzscher Pflege erLEBEN e.V.