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Munich (dpa / lby) - Five associations are calling for the expansion of small hydropower plants in Bavaria to be stopped.
The demands of the "River Alliance" also include the demolition of dilapidated weirs in order to improve the state of the waters in the Free State, announced the Bund Naturschutz, WWF, Landesbund für Vogelschutz, Landesfischereiverband and the Bavarian Canoe Association on Wednesday.
Over 4,000 small hydropower plants and almost 57,000 transverse structures such as weirs are currently worsening the ecological condition of Bavaria's rivers and streams, said the five associations.
Although these small hydropower plants only supply a minimal share of the Bavarian electricity at 1.3 percent, the state government wants to further promote their operation.
The state chairman of the Bund Naturschutz, Richard Mergner, emphasized that no expansion of hydropower is necessary for a power supply from renewable energies: "Above all, it needs energy saving, expansion of wind and solar energy and decentralized storage."
In view of the longer dry seasons, “rivers that are as natural as possible” are also important.
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State fisheries association on "living rivers"