“uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç

The coastal rural district of Stade, up until now better known for its old nuclear reactor, is gaining a name for itself in the world of wind. The district government is working steadily towards the completion of its special programme for at least 150 MW of wind power, its requirement under zoning plans for wind drawn up by the Lower Saxony planning authorities under the 1994 the Regional Planning Programme Law. The law declared that Lower Saxony should have 1000 MW of wind power by 2010. Stade, ahead of other district councils, has already earmarked areas for its 150 MW which are now being examined by parish councils. The response has been such that probably 12 to 13 wind stations will be installed with a total of 150-200 MW. But the Special Programme will not be published until the end of the year, to be followed by a 12-16 month legal procedure allowing the decisions to be written into the many parish statutes. Thus applications to install wind stations will not go ahead until probably mid to end 1997. One proposal has already emerged however -- the installation of up to 50 Vestas V63 1.5 MW turbines organised by a group of local farmers at a site administrated by the councils of Apensen and Hasefeld.