The German wind industry is in free-fall: new construction is at a standstill, in no small part due to the fact that rural Germans are in full-scale revolt against the wind industry.
In 2019 less than 200 turbines were erected onshore and a trifling 160 are planned for 2020, so far.
Tens of thousands of those groovy ‘green’ jobs that the wind industry promised would last forever, have disappeared, almost overnight.
In rural Germany, a rural revolt against wind power was inevitable. Close to 30,000 of these things have been speared across Deutschland, often within a stone’s throw of homes, towns and villages.
Driven mad by practically incessant low-frequency noise and infrasound, watching whole forests clear-felled to make way for 300 tonne, 200m high turbines and witnessing the destruction of birds, bats and beneficial bugs, it’s little wonder that the ordinarily phlegmatic Germans have revolted. Notwithstanding their self-issued social licence to operate, the German wind industry is under siege. Here’s NoTricksZone with another report from the battle front.
German Wind Projects Hit Intense Citizens’ Protests, Dividing Once Harmonious Communities
No Tricks Zone
Pierre Gosselin
28 January 2020
Despite phony wind lobby surveys claiming that over 90% of Germans support an expansion of wind power (and only a 5% fringe oppose), German wind park projects have hit the brick wall of intense citizens’ protest.
For example, German environmental protection group http://www.naturschutz-initiative here reports how the approval for three wind turbines in the Butzbach municipal forest granted by the Giessen Regional Council on 12 October 2018 has been deemed illegal.
According to their press release:
After the discussion meeting on 22 January 2020, the administrative court revoked the permit on 28 January 2020. The environmental association Naturschutzinitiative e.V. (NI) had taken legal action against the State of Hesse primarily because in its opinion the permit violates European law. For example, exceptions to the ban on killing wasp and buzzard were permitted which are not compatible with the European Birds Directive.”
Huge protester turnout in Odenwald
In the region of Odenwald/Rothenberg, a planned additional wind farm of 13 turbines, each 250 meters tall, on the ridge between Rothenberg and Beerfelden was met with fierce protest from 300 demonstrators, reports regional online site Fact.de here.
According to Fact.de, “It was a strong appearance of the young Rothenberg citizens’ initiative proNatur, with support from many parts of the Odenwald.
What’s really impressive: the proNatur citizens protest group had been founded just 6 days earlier!
Irmgard Neuer, spokeswoman of the citizens’ initiative said: “A good 300 people of all age groups had gathered at the gymnasium in Rothenberg with banners, drums, whistles and warning vests to loudly oppose the planned additional wind farm of enormous dimensions in the region.”
“No positive effect on nature”
One of the protest mobilizers, leader Vera Krug of Siedelsbrunn, admonished her fellow protesters “not to let up and to inform all fellow citizens about the negative effects of the industrialization of nature”.
“No destruction of nature ever has a positive effect on the climate”, Vera Krug stated.
Local citizens fear that the quality of life in the area would be severely damaged by the installation of 13 huge wind turbines “without any real benefit for the climate”.
Fact.de reports:
Before the demonstration at the village center broke up, ‘everyone agreed that the destruction of nature by wind industry plants should not be allowed either in the Odenwald or in any other forest’.”
Wind turbine proponents were surprised by the large protester turnout.
Bitter divisions in once peaceful communities
Wind energy opposition has become an extremely polarizing issue in Germany, one that has led to bitter divisions in once peaceful communities, especially those in rural areas.
The issue of rural wind park industrialization has become such a hot topic that according to Fact.de: “Ruth Bender of the Wall Street Journal had traveled from Berlin to report on the demonstration. She stayed overnight at the local “Hirschen” and talked to several protagonists on site. The Südwestrundfunk (SWR) had also sent a camera team to Rothenberg for reporting.”
No Tricks Zone
STOP THESE THINGS 
All German greedy wind power industries are now investing huge in Norway and Sweden and are destroying one of Europes last wilderness only to be able to import “green power”.
Sweden and Norway are already more or less carbon free without a lot of wind industries which destroys our beautiful wildlife and nature.
https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2020-01-14—new-record-year-for-swedish-wind-power—germany-invests-billions-.B1-pqYEsxL.html
When I saw my first windmill I was excited. They looked just great with their arms gently moving in the breeze. Majestic. That was 3 of those things in one place. Now I can see whole forests of them and there is nothing majestic anymore. They are an eyesore and they are incredibly annoying. No wonder people are revolting against them. They are the new nuclear power plants.
“No destruction of nature ever has a positive effect on the climate”, Vera Krug stated.
How true and how much this needs to be emphasised and ensured that our Governments and the Politicians who are there to work for us know and accept it.
From the start this industry led Politicians by the nose, telling them what to do and how to do it. Some rebelled against the nose ring but not enough of them.
Some joined the industry rabble, they saw a profit to be made in encouraging people to invest in this industry, even to the extent of rubbing their hands together when Pension Funds began to invest workers money in the industry whether those workers wanted them to do or not.
Some who have left Parliament still use their ability to curry favour with sections of the media to continue to promote the industry, even though it is obvious this industry is failing to meet targets of secure energy provision when and where it is needed, at a cost the people can afford without having to forgo necessities of life.
The provision of electrical energy is something that should not be seen as a choice but as the Essential Service it surely is, as it’s required across industry, commerce, medicine, education and so much more.
The inability to provide it when and where it is needed 24/7 and that the manner in which it is being intermittently provided is causing catastrophic damaged to the environment across the board and around the world should be enough to stop its production by these dangerous industrial machines.
Keep up the fight across the globe and hopefully one day before it is too late no more will be installed and those that are will be removed and our energy supply will once again be delivered in a safe and productive manner.
The wind industry is trying to get the law changed:
https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/interview/german-wind-industry-chief-2-of-land-area-should-be-allocated-to-wind-energy/
Q: Germany’s last coal-fired power plant is supposed to close by 2038 at the latest, while 65% of the country’s electricity should be provided by renewable energies by 2030. Is this plan realistic given the current crisis faced by the onshore wind energy sector?
A: Last year, we built just over one gigawatt (GW) of new wind energy. That is only a fifth of what we would need for a successful energy transition.
Q: The ruling conservative union (CDU/CSU) recently tabled a proposal to unlock the debate over a new distance regulation for wind turbines. What do you think of it?
A: I am pleased that the conservative union has made this proposal. After all, they had blocked the debate by insisting on the 1,000-metre distance regulation between buildings and wind turbines. Overall, we need a 2% quota of land area that should be attributed to wind energy, and that in all federal states.
Q: Given the numerous lawsuits against new wind farms in Germany, it seems that the industry is primarily suffering from a communication problem. Would limiting the rights of citizens to take legal action be the right way to go about things?
A: Of course, communication is an essential variable in the acceptance of wind energy. We need the government to communicate positively, instead of just talking about the costs of the energy transition.
Berlin must act with a steady hand and explain that the energy transition cannot be replaced in terms of climate policy and that it should be seen as an economic opportunity – also, and especially for rural areas.
The only things missing are the jack boots.
Very true STT. I note also that wind industry spruiker Mr Albers, believes that the German government should make it clear to these recalcitrant rural residents that they should be grateful to have their local environment trashed and their health compromised.
Mr Albers clearly believes these ingrates must be made to understand that that Energiewende is unstoppable and
“should be seen as an economic opportunity – also, and especially for rural areas.”
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