The sustainable use of the ocean is considered to be indispensable for climate protection. Now concrete foundations for the expansion of offshore plants are being laid. But what about nature conservation?
The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) is advancing the planning law basis for new wind turbines at sea.
On Monday, the BSH initiated the process of updating the area development plan, which, among other things, defines areas and grid connections for the further expansion of offshore wind energy. This was announced by the central maritime federal authority in Hamburg.
“Specifically, the BSH is proposing additional areas for the further expansion of offshore wind power in the North Sea with an output of 3 gigawatts,” announced the Federal Ministry of Economics in Berlin. This could supply almost three million households with electricity. Economics and Climate Protection Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) spoke of a “powerful boost” for the required expansion. The new federal government has decided that the electricity supply in Germany will come from renewable energies by 2030.
The federal government created the conditions for this in the summer by adopting an ordinance on spatial planning in the German exclusive economic zone in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. It states that the new spatial plan supports “nature-friendly sustainable development of the marine area” and is indispensable for climate protection by securing areas for the expansion of offshore wind energy.
The German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) lies in an area between 12 nautical miles (22 kilometers) and a maximum of 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) beyond the coast. It does not belong to the sovereign territory, but there are exclusive rights of use of the respective coastal state.
While the spatial plan basically identifies areas for offshore wind energy, the BSH proposals now specify exactly where which power can be installed. “As part of the update of the area development plan, a strategic environmental assessment will also be carried out,” says the announcement. Authorities and the public can express their views until January 18, 2022. An online hearing is also planned for January 26th.
Environmental associations had criticized that nature conservation was neglected in the planned expansion of the economic use of the North and Baltic Seas. The associations, including BUND, Greenpeace, Nabu and WWF, demanded that the expansion of offshore wind energy and marine conservation should go hand in hand. In return, the pollution of the oceans from other uses must be greatly reduced. “Already today, raw material extraction, pipeline construction, military exercises, unlimited shipping and fishing are taking place in protected areas,” the associations criticized. “The expansion of offshore wind energy in protected areas is no longer excluded in the current plan.”
Source From: Stern
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
