The construction of new wind farms in Germany faces a surprising obstacle: builders need permits to transport large turbines on roads and are waiting months to get them, Reuters reported, citing Agerpres.

With a backlog of more than 15,000 applications for approval, companies say the projects are experiencing significant delays, and with longer periods for steel towers, generators and turbine blades to sit in warehouses, costs run into millions of euros.

“If nothing changes, additional costs could reach 115 million euros by the end of the year,” said Felix Rewald, a spokesman for wind turbine maker Enercon, explaining that special permits are needed to transport heavy equipment over bridges and highways.

In some cases, structures and road signs have to be dismantled, sometimes a police escort is required, and other transports can only be carried out at night.

“This is currently one of the most important tasks for us and our competitors,” says Felix Rewald.

The German government has made a significant bet on renewable energy sources

Germany aims to generate 80% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2030, with 115 gigawatts to be produced by onshore wind farms, but a lack of transport permits is putting that target at risk.

Nordex, the world leader in wind turbines, says parking spaces for its trucks are limited and the cost of obtaining permits has increased tenfold, with a spokesman citing “long delays and significant costs”.

The cost of the permit increased to €1,000 per permit in 2021 from €100 per permit. However, authorization is so rigid that companies often make multiple requests to cover different cases.

“I can’t apply for a truck permit and say tomorrow I’m going to drive a green truck instead of a red one because I need a new permit,” says Kai Westphal, the truck maker’s director of transportation. Vestas wind turbines.

Bureaucracy also creates problems in Germany

According to a study published last year by the VDMA association, on average 150 permits are required to transport a wind turbine, between 100 and 120 for a steel tower and 60 for turbine components. However, due to the lack of uniform legislation that would regulate large-tonnage transportation, each land requires different documents, the authors of the study emphasize.

The exponential increase in authorization requests as a result of the expansion of wind energy is creating new delays, given the problems that exist with some bridges and roads, as well as different interpretations of the rules by authorities, says Sebastian. Steul, researcher at the VDMA.

The companies say that the restructuring of the road authority, which considers the applications, in 2021 will further complicate the situation. Companies point the finger at untrained staff and the various software that Autobahn GmbH uses to analyze applications.

In response, Autobahn GmbH states that the approval is the responsibility of the Lands, and it only provides an expert opinion on the feasibility of transportation along the specified route.

The government under the leadership of Olaf Scholz makes promises

The executive in Berlin announced on Wednesday a series of measures aimed at stimulating the economy by reducing red tape, speeding up the approval process for new buildings and digitizing citizens’ access to essential public services.

At the same time, processing each request takes up to three months in Germany, compared to two to three weeks in the Netherlands and around 10 days in Denmark.

In the case of the latter country, the existence of drivers and pilots specializing in heavy-duty transport has speeded up procedures, so the Danish authorities no longer require a police escort for each individual transport, says Morten Arnskov Boeesen, a Danish adviser. Confederation of Industry.

“In Denmark, of course, it’s easier, you get a permit within a week. That would be a dream come true for us,” says Kai Westphal, director of transport at wind turbine manufacturer Vestas.