- Accueil
- Actualités et public…
- Publications
- Does monument protec…
16 août 2023
Publication series – 55 de 77 Publications
Does monument protection hinder the expansion of renewable energies?
- Briefing
In addition to nature and species protection regulations and forest law, monument protection should not be forgotten.
In some cases, monument protection legislation can hinder or even prevent the expansion of renewable energies. As the aim of monument protection is to preserve cultural heritage and buildings worthy of protection, concerns may arise regarding the impact on the appearance and historical integrity of monuments. In particular, wind turbines are often criticised for disturbing the appearance of the landscape and thus impairing the historical aesthetics of monuments. This often leads to discussions and conflicts between those in favour of monument protection and those who want to promote the expansion of renewable energies.
With this conflict in mind, the federal legislator introduced Sec. 2 of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (“EEG”) with the Act on Immediate Measures for the Accelerated Expansion of Renewable Energies and Further Measures in the Electricity Sector. The following applies: If the goal of greenhouse gas-neutral electricity generation in Germany has not yet been achieved, the construction and operation of renewable energy plants is in the overriding public interest – also with regard to public safety.
What impact does Sec. 2 EEG currently have on monument protection with regard to the authorisation practices of the authorities?
Many state constitutions give monument protection constitutional status – e.g. Art. 16 para. 1 sentence 1 of the constitution of the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania establishes a duty to protect and promote the culture (including monuments) of the state; comparable provisions include Art. 11 para. 1 sentence 1 of the constitution of the Free State of Saxony, Art. 36 para. 4 of the constitution of the state of Saxony-Anhalt and Art. 141 para. 2 of the constitution of the Free State of Bavaria. Despite the provisions of Sec. 2 EEG, a conflict situation nevertheless remains when weighing up the protected monument and the renewable energy installation in question. In practice, the competent authorities have continued to argue (also in view of the overriding public interest in the expansion of renewable energies) that
- monument protection in itself constitutes a public interest and can therefore – as a rule, not only in exceptional cases – prevent the authorisation of renewable energy installations. This applies in particular even though the wording of Sec. 2 EEG expressly states that renewable energies should be a primary concern when weighing up the protected interests.
- in individual cases, the authorisation must always be measured against whether legitimate interests such as the preservation of the substance and the preservation of the appearance of the immediate surroundings of the monument in question are impaired by the expansion of renewable energies.
- the monument is bound to a specific location from the outset and the renewable energy plant is not; an alternative location for the renewable energy plant must therefore always be examined in each individual case.
As a result, projects – despite the overriding interest in the construction and operation of renewable energy installations – have sometimes not been authorised and subsequently not implemented.
What is the case law on conflicts between monument protection and renewable energies?
The Greifswald Higher Administrative Court recently clearly rejected the above argument in its ruling of 7 February 2023:
- According to the court, Section 2 of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) outweighs the protection of renewable energies, meaning that the public interest in the construction of renewable energy plants can only be overcome in exceptional cases, which must be technically justified based on the specific circumstances of the situation in question. The legislator has "pre-set" the balance between the protection of historical monuments and the expansion of renewable energies in favour of the expansion of renewable energies with Section 2 EEG.
- It should also be emphasised that Section 2 EEG can also be applied to individual projects for the expansion of renewable energies.
- In the opinion of the court, it was also not necessary to examine an alternative location. This is because the question of an alternative location does not constitute an atypical situation. Therefore, if the argument that the monument is tied to a specific location and the plant is not sufficient for renewable energies were to be accepted, the priority for renewable energies - intended by the legislator with Section 2 EEG - would be cancelled (see OVG Greifswald, Urt. v. 7 February 2023 - 5 K 171.22, BeckRS 2023, 2396).
Could Section 2 EEG help to significantly increase the speed of planning and approval procedures?
It is clear that the handling of the priority for renewable energies, as provided for in Sec. 2 EEG, is still being debated in the approval process. The decision of the Higher Administrative Court of Greifswald on 7 February 2023 clarified the outstanding importance of renewable energy installations with regard to monument protection. The OVG Greifswald's statement is particularly clear for the practical application of Sec. 2 EEG: as a rule, priority is given to renewable energies - also with regard to monument protection. The OVG Greifswald thus joins a series of courts that have only recently recognised the outstanding importance of renewable energies under Sec. 2 EEG.
The decision only relates to a single (wind energy) project and is not legally binding for the building authorities or other courts. Nevertheless, the decision can be an important cornerstone for speeding up planning and authorisation procedures in the future. Especially for project development - in all federal states - the decision offers good arguments with regard to the authorisation of construction facilities for renewable energies.
Do you have any questions about speeding up your authorisation procedures and/or about construction or environmental law, etc.? We look forward to hearing from you.
Dans cette série
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
par plusieurs auteurs
The NIS2 Directive: Challenges Renewable Energy Companies
18 février 2026
EU specifies certification of permanent CO₂ removals
11 février 2026
par Dr. Janina Pochhammer, Dr. Niels L. Lange, LL.M. (Stellenbosch)
Electricity Tax Amendment 2025/2026: New rules for BESS, charging infrastructure and renewable energies
14 janvier 2026
Battery storage systems in outdoor areas - current classification in accordance with § 35 BauGB
19 décembre 2025
HR compliance in the energy sector – customs authorities step up the fight against sham-employment
15 décembre 2025
The Current Challenges for Offshore Wind Energy in Germany
2 décembre 2025
par plusieurs auteurs
Offshore wind in Germany: from market premiums to Contracts for Difference?
28 novembre 2025
par plusieurs auteurs
Energy Sharing under Section 42 of the German Energy Industry Act (EnWG)
26 novembre 2025
Bundestag Decides on the Privileging of Battery Storage Facilities in Outdoor Areas under § 35 (1) BauGB
12 novembre 2025
Industrial electricity price: Initial assessment and opportunities for companies
21 novembre 2025
par Dr. Markus Böhme, LL.M. (Nottingham), Johannes Schaadt-Wambach, LL.M. (Prag)
FIDIC – An introduction to the FIDIC Suite 2017
22 octobre 2025
par plusieurs auteurs
The Renewable Energy Expansion Acceleration Act – a boost for the energy transition in Austria?
23 septembre 2025
par Sabine Meister
Federal Network Agency discussion paper on reforming grid fees for industry and commerce
25 septembre 2025
par plusieurs auteurs
German-Dutch Treaty on Cross-Border Energy Projects
18 septembre 2025
par plusieurs auteurs
Energy communities in Austria and the new Electricity Industry Act (ElWG)
15 septembre 2025
New amendment to the Energy Industry Act (EnWG) introduced in July and August 2025
8 septembre 2025
Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF) – a new state aid framework for the green transformation of industry
8 septembre 2025
par Dr. Michael Brüggemann, Johannes Schaadt-Wambach, LL.M. (Prag)
Industrial electricity prices: initial assessment and opportunities for businesses
18 août 2025
par Johannes Schaadt-Wambach, LL.M. (Prag), Dr. Markus Böhme, LL.M. (Nottingham)
Regulatory Framework for Transmission System Operators in Germany
18 août 2025
par plusieurs auteurs
Court ruling on the effectiveness of availability guarantees for wind turbines
31 juillet 2025
New Legal Framework for the Commercial Use of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU)
11 juillet 2025
par plusieurs auteurs
Are offshore wind converter platforms a bottleneck in the energy transition? New German government wants to create production capacities at German shipyards
17 juin 2025
par plusieurs auteurs
Speeding up the energy transition - the new German government’s plans for gas and steam power plants and its quest for the right technology for renewable energy
8 mai 2025
par plusieurs auteurs
Update - Change of government opens the door to carbon capture and storage and carbon capture and utilisation
17 avril 2025
par plusieurs auteurs
The special fund for infrastructure and climate protection - what is next?
10 avril 2025
par plusieurs auteurs
Changes to CBAM through Omnibus legislative package
10 avril 2025
The role of heat probes in the energy transition: Authorisation procedures and potential
26 mars 2025
CJEU judgement on customer installations in accordance with Section 3 No. 24a Law on the Energy Industry EnWG
26 mars 2025
par Dr. Markus Böhme, LL.M. (Nottingham), Dr. Christian Ertel
Will the new German government open the door for carbon capture and storage?
26 février 2025
par plusieurs auteurs
Waste heat from data centres - new reporting obligations under the EnEfG
6 février 2025
par plusieurs auteurs
Rabigh 2 Solar Independent Power Project (IPP)
11 décembre 2024
Oman and Belgium Sign Landmark MoU on Green Hydrogen Cooperation
11 décembre 2024
Decision day: Grid fee exemption in customer systems and energy price brake put to the test
28 novembre 2024
par Dr. Christian Ertel, Dr. Markus Böhme, LL.M. (Nottingham)
BGH: Balance sheet allocation of electricity withdrawals at higher voltage levels in the event of supplier failure - recommended action for grid operators
11 novembre 2024
Hydrogen core network - The Federal Network Agency’s strategy for the energy transition
11 novembre 2024
par plusieurs auteurs
Amendment to the Energy Industry Act: changes for energy supply companies and grid and system operators
18 septembre 2024
par Dr. Christian Ertel, Dr. Markus Böhme, LL.M. (Nottingham)
Standard Essential Patents: A new challenge for the IoT and smart meter world
10 septembre 2024
Land acquisition and data protection: The importance of the GDPR when project developers request owner data
18 juillet 2024
par Dr. Patrick Vincent Zurheide, LL.M. (Aberdeen), Dr. Julia Wulff
Municipalities to share profit in wind turbines and ground-mounted photovoltaic systems
11 juillet 2024
Solar Package I - Overview of Changes to Ground-Mounted and Building-Mounted PV Systems
27 mai 2024
Mandatory special charge for open space photovoltaic systems in Brandenburg
21 février 2024
A new era for wind energy investments in Hungary
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
26 janvier 2024
Updating the National Hydrogen Strategy
6 novembre 2023
par Dr. Niels L. Lange, LL.M. (Stellenbosch), Dr. Janina Pochhammer
The new CO2 border adjustment mechanism (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism - “CBAM”) - first statutory reporting obligations set for January 2024
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
3 novembre 2023
New IT security requirements for the energy sector
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
1 septembre 2023
par Dr. Paul Voigt, Lic. en Derecho, CIPP/E, Alexander Schmalenberger, LL.B.
Does monument protection hinder the expansion of renewable energies?
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
16 août 2023
The amending law to strengthen digitisation in the urban land use planning process and the further expansion of renewable energies
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
6 juillet 2023
Challenges for data center operators - The federal government’s draft bill for an energy efficiency act
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
12 avril 2023
par plusieurs auteurs
The Energy Charter Treaty in the Light of the Electricity Price Brake: An opportunity for investors to litigate?
27 janvier 2023
Ordinance for Determining Critical Infrastructures (KritisV): Renewable energy plants as critical infrastructure and requirements for IT protection
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
12 juillet 2022
par Dr. Paul Voigt, Lic. en Derecho, CIPP/E, Dr. Markus Böhme, LL.M. (Nottingham)
Liquefied Natural Gas Projects in Germany: The LNG Acceleration Act
Q&A series: Energy & Infrastructure
10 juin 2022
Participation of local municipalities in the context of wind and photovoltaic projects
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
5 mai 2022
Renewable Energy Wrap-Up – France
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
27 avril 2022
Renewable Energy Wrap-Up - United Kingdom
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
15 mars 2022
Building energy performance: the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
14 février 2022
Fit for 55 – Hydrogen and the Reform of the European Gas Market
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
11 janvier 2022
Renewable Energy Wrap-Up – Netherlands
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
2 décembre 2021
Renewable Energy Wrap-Up – Poland
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
21 septembre 2021
par Olav Nemling
Renewable Energy Wrap-Up – Austria
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
18 août 2021
Renewable Energy Wrap-Up - Germany
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
12 juillet 2021
par Carsten Bartholl
Floating Foundations for Offshore Wind Farms
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
8 juin 2021
Species protection exemption: Significance for wind energy
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
25 mai 2021
Power-to-Hydrogen
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
6 avril 2021
Focus PV – Floating Solar and Agrivoltaics
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
23 mars 2021
Related Insights
Rooftop solar PV systems as a green financial product
Renewable Energy Wrap-Up - United Kingdom
Power Play: Renewable Energy Update
COP26 – investing in the future
par David Franklin et Damien Kebdani