Lower Saxony: Record growth in wind turbines – 91 new systems in 2025!

Lower Saxony: Record growth in wind turbines – 91 new systems in 2025!

On the green meadows of Lower Saxony, wind power is flourishing like never before. With an impressive 6,202 wind turbines, Lower Saxony tops the list of federal states in Germany. In the first half of 2025 alone, 91 new wind turbines were installed, which corresponds to a significant increase of almost 70% compared to the previous year. This development shows how serious the Lower Saxony government is about expanding renewable energies. Loud NDR The installed capacity of 13,400 megawatts is an impressive result and consolidates Lower Saxony's top position among the federal states.

But it's not just Lower Saxony that is active in the field of wind power. Schleswig-Holstein follows in third place, having installed 61 new systems in the same period. This federal state has a total of 3,263 wind turbines and therefore the highest density of wind turbines per area in Germany. Not all federal states are equally well positioned: in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, just ten new wind turbines were installed in the first half of the year, which corresponds to only 5.9% compared to Germany's total number of 1,853 systems.

The approval procedures

When it comes to expanding wind power, the approval procedures play a crucial role. In Lower Saxony these take an average of 13.1 months, which turns out to be rather quick, while in Schleswig-Holstein it is 15 months. In contrast, applicants in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have to expect over 44 months - the longest waiting time in Germany. Saving time is an important factor in wind power expansion.

The efforts of the Lower Saxony Ministry of the Environment to regularly update the wind energy decree contribute to the complexity of the application process. The decree describes, among other things, the necessary requirements for the approval of wind turbines and was last revised in 2021. Significant changes in the BImSchG and species protection law serve to reduce the requirements for permits to a certain extent and ensure more growth. This is in line with the goals of obtaining 80% of Germany's electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

Challenges and future outlook

Although the wind energy industry is satisfied with the expansion figures, challenges remain. There is not only a lot of discussion on the topics of citizen participation and regional acceptance, but also active work on solutions. Ultimately, acceptance among the population is of central importance for the success of wind power projects. There are also efforts to implement distance regulations and comprehensive environmental impact assessments, which not only promote environmental protection, but also regulate the choice of location and construction of wind turbines.

Looking at the future of wind power in Germany, it should be noted that current developments point towards more sustainable energy production. While Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein are well positioned, other federal states need to put down deeper roots in the wind power sector. The time is ripe for more green energy – and Lower Saxony is showing how it can be done.