Mayors from Bavaria call for faster wind power expansion

Mayors from the German state of Bavaria have called on the regional government to speed up the expansion of wind power. According to the international news site Clean Energy Wire, around one-fifth of Bavarian mayors have joined the appeal. They say electricity must be generated locally and in a decentralised way.

Although Bavaria leads Germany in solar energy development, the country's largest federal state has also faced sustained pressure over wind power. According to the head of the German Wind Energy Association (BWE), more than 4.5% of the state's area is potentially suitable for generating electricity from wind.

A statement last year by Bavarian Premier Markus Söder may signal a gradual shift in the state's position on wind power development. He said more than 1,000 wind turbines are to be built in Bavaria. Local residents are also beginning to support wind power development. According to the results of a poll conducted in May, under certain conditions they would accept the construction of wind farms close to their homes.