Overview

• The Bundesrat approved in mid-July a temporary amendment that overrides state planning until new regional plans take effect by December 31, 2027.
• The reform designates acceleration zones and removes municipal caps to fast-track approvals for onshore turbines and co-located storage.
• State interior ministers, led by Sabine Sütterlin-Waack, argue the measure undermines their steering ability and will publish draft regional plans later this month.
• Although 409 turbines adding 2.2 GW came online in the first half of 2025, onshore capacity remains at 63.34 GW, short of the 69 GW legal target.
• Economics Minister Katherina Reiche plans to unveil an Energiewende “restart” in four weeks, and experts warn that forthcoming monitoring may impose cost clauses that curb expansion in southern regions.