August 3 (Renewables Now) - The size of protected areas around radio beacons in Germany is being reduced to make space for the deployment of more onshore wind energy amid efforts to speed up the green transition in the country.

As of the beginning of August, Germany's air navigation service provider DFS is opening up potential areas to build more wind turbines as a result of reduced safe distances between turbines and air navigation and meteorological facilities.

Following a reassessment, protected areas for a number of air navigation facilities have already been reduced in size without compromising on the facilities' smooth operation, DFS said on Tuesday.

The additional areas are made available for wind energy after Germany's Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) and the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) as well as several organisations reached an agreement in April, resolving a long spat on the issue.

The reassessment is ongoing and should be completed by the end of this year with more areas likely to be reduced in size.

“We will have more areas for wind energy whilst safeguarding the safety of radio navigation. This successful cooperation with the aviation authorities is a very good example of how we are removing barriers at all levels to accelerate the expansion of renewable energy sources. As these measures taken by DFS are opening up more spaces for the erection of wind turbines, there will be a significant improvement in the ability to issue permissions for future planning applications for wind turbines,” said economy minister Robert Habeck.

According to a survey conducted by the German wind energy association BWE in January, radio beacons alone are currently blocking the installation of 418 wind turbines with a total capacity of 2.2 GW.

Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!