Five out of seven solar projects in Templin canceled – reasons unclear!

Five out of seven solar projects in Templin canceled – reasons unclear!

In Templin, things go haywire when it comes to planning new solar systems. At yesterday's city council meeting (SVV), seven applications for the construction of photovoltaic systems on agricultural land were discussed. But the surprise came quickly: five of the project sponsors withdrew their applications the day before without giving an understandable reason. This leaves only one proposal, which even received a positive rating in the committee discussion.

This remaining application comes from Solarpark 187 GmbH & Co. KG, a subsidiary of wpd GmbH. Impressive open-space agri-photovoltaic systems are planned in Storkow on a total area of ​​around 50 hectares, which will be used for agricultural purposes. A particularly clever plan: The distance to residential development is an impressive 400 meters, and the installed output of the solar park should be around 35 megawatt peak. This would mean that around 16,000 households could be supplied with green electricity, which would mean saving around 15,000 tonnes of CO₂.

Safe planning and concerns

The modules of this innovative Agri-PV system can tilt, which ensures that at least 85 percent of the area can be used for actual agriculture. The distance between the module stands is a respectable 13 meters. While the majority of city councilors - 14 to be precise - approved the decision to draw up a project-related development plan, 11 city councilors did not approve of the project and two abstained. A highly controversial topic!

The controversial discussions continue when one considers the application to create a ground-mounted PV system with battery storage in Templin, which was rejected by the majority. Meanwhile, a proposal from the SPD-Greens and CDU was making the rounds: districts that are affected by new solar systems should in future receive a 20 percent share of the special levy. This special levy amounts to 2,000 euros per installed megawatt per year and is intended to be used for a specific purpose. For every megawatt hour of electricity installed, 400 euros flow to the respective districts.

Voices from city politics

Christian Bork from the AfD expressed clear criticism and emphasized that 20 percent was too little for those affected. He called for the motion to be discussed again in the committees. Jörn Nagel, the mayor of Hindenburg, spoke out in favor of involving the local councils in these fundamental discussions. On the other hand, Stefan Rikken from the SPD-Greens emphasized that a discussion in the committees would not be a problem and he was convinced that a good solution could be found together.

Overall, it is clear: investments in renewable energies, which amounted to 38.1 billion euros in Germany last year, are still on a high level. The share of renewable energies in final consumption for heating and cooling will be around 18.1 percent in 2024. These technologies therefore make a significant contribution to achieving climate protection goals and are an important pillar of energy supply in Germany, as the Federal Ministry of Economics states.

The challenges in Templin are symbolic of a larger trend – the transition to renewable energy is both necessary and urgent. But the disputes over land use show that a responsible and transparent approach to nature and local people is essential.