Robert Habeck is welcomed by numerous fans in front of the Bavarian State Chancellery on Thursday morning. They want to encourage him before his conversation with Prime Minister Markus Söder. "We hope that they will be able to break the resistance," says a man from the Conservation Union. In Bavaria there is a majority for wind power. "But she was talked into ruin," said the man. Habeck enjoys the hustle and bustle a bit, goes to the people from IG Metall, from Greenpeace, from other environmental organizations. Bavaria is a high-energy country that needs green energy, and the Bavarian Prime Minister certainly understands that, says the Green Economics and Climate Protection Minister. "Robert, you're doing this" calls a young woman. A Bavarian grumbler stands a little to the side. "Here comes the 10-H thief," he calls out when he sees Habeck.and holds up his placard, which says a similar sentence.

Markus Wehner

Political correspondent in Berlin.

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10 H - this is the distance rule for wind turbines in Bavaria, which states that the height of the wind turbine must be at least ten times higher than the nearest residential buildings. Nowhere else in the republic is there such a maximum rule. And Habeck wants Bavaria to overturn it, because it prevents the expansion of wind energy in Bavaria. So far, the federal state has not had much to show for wind energy. For example, only 12 wind turbines were put into operation in 2021, while four old ones were dismantled at the same time. According to the Federal Network Agency, there are 1,249 wind turbines in Bavaria, but that's 500 fewer than in the smaller Rhineland-Palatinate. Instead of the targeted two percent, only 0.5 percent of the area in Bavaria is designated for wind power, but construction would probably not be approved on most of these areas at the moment,so that the usable area is reduced to 0.11 percent.

Of course, Habeck knows that Söder will not simply promise him everything he wants. He hopes, however, that there will be no total rejection. The resistance, it is estimated, comes more from parts of the CSU and the district administrators, but the important association of Bavarian business has spoken out aggressively for the expansion of renewable energies, including wind power. The climate protection minister from Berlin wants to seek dialogue and not immediately insist on the possibility of a federal law with which the 10-H rule could be overturned without the consent of the Bundesrat.

At the press conference after their hour-long conversation, Habeck and Söder initially met with politeness.

Söder explained how important climate protection is for Bavaria, says Habeck, who thanks for the spontaneous invitation from Munich.

As much as he appreciates Bavaria's commitment to photovoltaics and the use of hydropower, "ecological patriotism" is also needed in the expansion of wind power, "so that the growth rates are no longer in the single digits, but there are decent numbers again".

By March at the latest, Bavaria will now make suggestions as to what it intends to do with wind power.

Then we'll see if that's enough.

Söder first points out to Habeck that Bavaria is called the state government, not the state government, as the minister from Berlin had previously said. It is important to accept regional differences in the expansion of renewable energies. Bavaria is number 1 almost everywhere, only in eighth place in the ranking of the federal states for wind power. He sees it as very positive that Habeck relies on dialogue "and not just on sovereignty", not according to the motto: "Sink or die". Other countries, such as Baden-Württemberg, are also finding it difficult to expand wind power. The 10-H distance rule is not the main reason that things are getting stuck. But exceptions to this rule are possible, for example when building wind turbines in state forests. Apparently a distance of 1000 meters should be enough here, about half of 10 H.before March Berlin will be informed of what they want to do, but they will also express their own wishes.

Habeck says that he is not concerned with "abstract legal norms". He is convinced that the lack of progress in the expansion of wind power in Bavaria has something to do with the 10-H rule, but if there are other ways of making progress on the field, "I should be fine with it". A "prevention plan" is not acceptable.

At the end of the press conference, there was a real dispute between Habeck and Söder.

The Bavarian Prime Minister says it is important to him how the new federal government deals "with the south" of the republic.

He is reminiscent of Gerhard Schröder, who is said to have once said: "You get stones instead of bread".

Habeck replies that he is not Minister for the North, but Minister for Germany, also Minister for Bavaria.

He is acting out of concern for national security of supply.

It shouldn't be that the biggest inhibitors have the biggest political benefit.

"Then we can close the shop." Söder doesn't want to leave it like that.

"We always play offensively, like FC Bayern," he says.

Habeck counters again.

"I want to see this offensive," says the climate protection minister.