The transformation in Welzow-Süd is gathering pace

LEAG Renewables GmbH has submitted the permit application under the Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG) for the Kausche 1 wind farm to the Brandenburg State Office for the Environment (Landesamt für Umwelt Brandenburg, LfU). The project comprises 18 Nordex N175 6.8 wind turbines, each with a total height of 266.5 metres, and a planned total capacity of 122 megawatts. This makes it the most extensive permit application to date for a LEAG wind project and, at the same time, the first project on recultivated forestry land at the Welzow-Süd opencast mine in the Brandenburg part of Lusatia.

“Kausche 1 is a key project for LEAG’s transformation into one of the leading renewable energy companies in eastern Germany. It underlines our commitment to actively shaping the energy transition while at the same time laying the foundation for future-proof site development and regional value creation in the energy region. The site has been designated in the draft sub-regional wind energy plan, fully meets the catalogue of criteria and is also compatible with the recultivation objectives,” says Dominique Guillou, CEO of LEAG Renewables GmbH.

Kausche 1 is the first wind farm at the Welzow-Süd opencast mine and, at the same time, LEAG’s first wind project on land reclaimed for forestry. With 18 turbines, it is also the company’s most extensive permit application to date. The application documents include comprehensive project descriptions, maps, expert reports on noise, shadow flicker, nature conservation and soil conditions, as well as evidence regarding safety and fire protection concepts. The LfU Brandenburg will first review the completeness of the documents before a decision on approval is made in the subsequent procedure under the Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG).

The wind farm is intended to supply green electricity for the GigawattFactory in the future – the overarching concept under which LEAG is establishing a new energy system in Lusatia and Central Germany. In addition to renewable generation capacity of more than two gigawatts and the associated grid infrastructure, battery storage facilities with a capacity of 3 gigawatt-hours and hydrogen-compatible gas-fired power plants with a total capacity of 2 gigawatts are to be built by 2030 and operated as part of an intelligently managed integrated network. This holistic energy concept combines security of supply with climate neutrality and represents the energy supply of the future.

With the construction of the GigawattFactory, the Lausitz Energy Region will not only gain additional capacity from renewable energies, but also real added value: new investment, municipal revenue, secure jobs and increased attractiveness for industry and commerce.