EIA Screening for Wind Turbines
The EIA screening (UVP-Vorpruefung) is the regulatory decision on whether a wind turbine project requires a full Environmental Impact Assessment or whether a negative certificate suffices. It is carried out within the BImSchG procedure prior to the actual permitting decision — based on documents submitted by the applicant.
Site-specific (S) or general (A)?
| Number of WTG > 50 m | Screening type | Depth |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 | S — site-specific | Shorter review focused on protected area proximity; negative certificate in > 90% of cases |
| 6–19 | A — general | More comprehensive review across all environmental receptors; negative certificate in approx. 70% of cases |
| 20+ | None — direct full EIA obligation | Screening not applicable, straight to EIS |
Escalation to full EIA
Even an S or A screening can result in an obligation for a full EIA. Common triggers:
- Location in or immediately adjacent to FFH/bird protection areas — almost always escalated
- Location in nature reserves or landscape protection areas — usually escalated
- Significant impact on forest, habitat type or geotope
- Litigation history of the region — where environmental groups have already filed suits, escalation is used as a precaution
- Cumulation with existing turbines — combined impact of other WTG in the vicinity
What does the screening document contain?
- Project description: number of turbines, heights, site coordinates, access roads
- Site description: topography, vegetation, protected areas in the surroundings
- Screening of environmental receptors: for each receptor (human health, fauna, flora, soil, water, climate, landscape, cultural heritage, interactions) a brief impact assessment
- Existing protected areas + conservation value: FFH, bird protection, nature reserves, landscape protection, protected biotopes
- Pre-existing impacts: other existing turbines, traffic noise, commercial activity
- Recommendation for negative certificate / escalation as the applicant's proposal
What does it cost?
Guideline cost €5,000–15,000. For very straightforward cases (3-turbine park, no protected areas) from €3,500. Complex general screenings near protected areas can reach €25,000.
EIA screening — thresholds, escalation triggers and process with costs
Who prepares it?
Environmental planning consultancies, often the same firms that later carry out the full EIS and the landscape impact plan (LBP). Advantageous: awarding the screening + full EIS + LBP to a single provider as a package.
Commission an EIA screening
We connect you with an experienced environmental planning consultancy — ideally with the option to extend to a full EIS if the screening escalates.
Get in touchFrequently asked questions
How long does the screening take?
Preparation of the document by the consultancy: 4–8 weeks. The regulatory decision after submission: typically 6–12 weeks, as other public interest authorities are consulted (nature conservation, landscape management, water management).
Can I challenge the negative certificate?
As the applicant, generally not — if the certificate is negative, you proceed without a full EIA. In the case of escalation, you can file an objection, though this is rarely successful.
What is different for repowering?
For repowering, the screening runs the same as for new construction — the number of new turbines determines the procedure. However, for 1:1 repowering, existing data can be used, which considerably shortens the screening document.