German energy company Innogy has called for an end to crippling administrative regulations and the creation of consenting procedures to stop lawsuits to reverse the slowdown in wind power growth in Germany.
Innogy chief executive officer Uwe Tiggs (pictured) said during a presentation of the company’s 2019 half-year financial results that growth in German wind power had declined from January to June this year by more than 80%.
He blamed crippling regulations and legal action for slowdown, adding that companies will not add new capacity, onshore or offshore, if they have to go to the courts.
Tiggs said Germany is falling behind in its efforts to reach its carbon dioxide reduction targets, because other sectors, such as transportation, are not doing enough, as well as the 'red tape' and lawsuits.
Innogy chief finance officer Bernhard Gunther said: “[For] the additional capacities, we would need better consenting procedures and we should get to a situation here where no lawsuits are launched in the courts.”
Because of the slowdown in Germany, Innogy is taking a more “international focus” with renewables development, he added.
