Wind Energy Sea Act. Country/Territory Germany Document type Legislation Date 2016 (2016) Source FAO, FAOLEX Original source Bundesgesetzblatt, Part I, No. 49, 18 October 2016, pp. 2310-2334. Long titleAct on development and promotion of wind energy on sea. Subject Energy Keyword Basic legislation Energy conservation/energy production Renewable energy EIA Subsidy/incentive Financing Policy/planning Inspection EEZ-Exclusive Economic Zone Geographical area Alps, Europe, Europe and Central Asia, European Union Countries, North Sea, North-East Atlantic, Western Europe Entry into force notes The present Act enters into force on 1 January 2017. Abstract The purpose of this Act is to expand the use of wind energy at sea, particularly in the interest of climate and environmental protection. In order to take better account of fundamental energy policy objectives such as environmental impact, supply security and cost efficiency, the new EEG introduces a competitive auction system for renewable energy. Such transition is in line with the European Commission’s environmental protection and energy subsidies guidelines, which stipulate that, as of 2017, subsidies have to be awarded in an auction system in order to ensure the subsidies system is admissible as state aid.A transitional regime applies to offshore wind installations commissioned between 2021 and 2025 before the present Act’s new “central” auctioning concept is fully implemented. The new system will fully apply to plants commissioned from 2026 onwards. In addition to the introduction of the auction system, the Act also sets out the relevant statutory provisions for the planning and permission process of offshore wind farms. Therefore, the Act will replace the respective provisions of the EEG, the Offshore Installations Ordinance (Seeanlagenverordnung; “SeeAnlV”) and the Energy Industry Act (Energiewirtschaftsgesetz; “EnWG”) for the most part. The present Act includes provisions regarding area planning in the German Exclusive Economic Zone (“EEZ”) and coastal waters (Küstenmeer), regarding preliminary investigations and suitability tests of potential project sites – which will no longer be performed by future wind farm operators, but by governmental authorities under the new “central” system – and regarding plan approval procedures (Planfeststellungsverfahren).The text consists of 79 articles divided into 6 Parts as follows: General provisions (1); Planning and preliminary investigation (2); Tenders (3); Approval, erection and operation of wind turbines at sea, and installations for the transmission of electricity (4); Special provisions for pilot wind energy installations at sea (5); Other provisions (6). The text has one appendix and articles 10a, 23a, 54a,63a, and 67a are added to the text. Full text German References - Legislation Implements Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG 2023). Legislation | Germany | 2014 (2024) Keyword: Basic legislation, Energy conservation/energy production, Renewable energy, Environmental planning, Policy/planning, Legal proceedings/administrative proceedings Source: FAO, FAOLEX Implemented by Second Ordinance on the Implementation of the Wind Energy at Sea Act. Legislation | Germany | 2022 Keyword: Legal proceedings/administrative proceedings, EEZ-Exclusive Economic Zone, Energy conservation/energy production, Environmental standards, Hydropower generation, Marine pollution, Oil, Renewable energy, Standards, Protection of environment Source: FAO, FAOLEX Second Regulation of the Implementation of the Wind Energy at Sea Act. Legislation | Germany | 2022 Keyword: Legal proceedings/administrative proceedings, Enforcement/compliance, Environmental planning, Marine pollution, Monitoring, Pollution control, Renewable energy, Policy/planning Source: FAO, FAOLEX