Wind Repowering in Hesse

Hesse hosts roughly 12% of all red kites in Germany — species protection is the dominant permitting conflict. Even so, the WaLG (Wind Energy Areas Act) area target is largely met and the state, at 1.9%, is already on track.

Market Data

Permitting & Law

• Minimum setback: no blanket state rule, based on TA Lärm (Technical Instructions on Noise)
• Authority: Regierungspräsidien (regional councils — Darmstadt, Gießen, Kassel)
• WaLG target: 2.2% by 2032; current status: approx. 1.9% — on track
• Species-protection focus: red kite (12% of the German population), black stork
• EEG southern bonus: applies — +0.30 ct/kWh

Red Kite Practice

Hesse has the most demanding red kite protection guideline in Germany. Around 60% of all Hesse repowering projects require either an anti-collision system or habitat measures. Before filing an application, a red kite nest search in the Hessian state nature-conservation database is advisable.

Regionally Active Engineering Firms

• ABO Wind AG (Wiesbaden) — largest regional developer
• HessenForst (Kassel) — for forest sites
• HLNUG (Wiesbaden) — nature-conservation authority
• BIO-CONSULT Hessen — avifauna specialist

Wind energy in Hesse – market data, red kite focus and permitting framework

Hesse Specifics

• Red kite stronghold: 12% of the German population — highest species-protection hurdle
• EEG southern bonus: makes low-wind turbines economically viable
• Black stork in the Knüll Hills: 3 km exclusion zone plus diversion corridors
• Forest sites: many wind projects in woodland, with HessenForst as the landowner