Qualitas Energy, a global investment and management platform focused on renewable energy, energy transition, and sustainable infrastructure investment, promotes the implementation of wind energy projects together with the Saxon State Ministry for Energy, Climate Protection, Environment and Agriculture in the wind farm community of Neißeaue, near Görlitz in Germany.
According to an amendment of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (§6 EEG 2023), operators of wind farms may now pay a voluntary contribution to the municipalities depending on the generated wind energy.
“The money, generated by participating in the revenue, flows into the community and is available for volunteer work, directly benefiting citizens. This form of participation strengthens the acceptance of wind energy and photovoltaic plants and enables local people to participate in the energy transition,” explains Dr. Gerd Lippold, State Secretary for Energy, Climate Protection, Environment and Agriculture.
Qualitas Energy has already concluded the contract for §6 EEG remuneration with the municipality of Neißeaue. “We welcome the amendment to the EEG with the opportunity to allow municipalities to benefit directly from the economic success of their efforts to implement the energy transition,” confirms Borja Caruana, Managing Director of Qualitas Energy Deutschland GmbH. “This innovative approach allows municipalities to actively participate in the positive effects of the energy transition”, he adds.
In close and transparent cooperation with residents and municipalities, Qualitas Energy increases the production of environmentally friendly wind power through targeted turbine repowering. As the contribution under §6 EEG is directly linked to electricity production, the payment increases particularly for municipalities of repowering projects, and serves as an additional incentive.
A good and transparent partnership between operators and municipalities not only promises financial benefits, but also strengthens the local infrastructure and promotes sustainable projects. “The change in federal legislation is an attractive opportunity for our municipality,” emphasizes Per Wiesner, Mayor of the municipality Neißeaue.
Qualitas Energy currently operates three turbines with a combined capacity of 6.9 MW in the municipality of Neißeaue and will replace them with three new turbines with a total capacity of 21.6 MW. The municipality currently benefits from an annual payment of around €30,000. After repowering, the municipal contribution will increase to up to €100,000 per year.
“Qualitas Energy is also proactively committed to the individual needs of the wind farm communities,” adds Tom Mutter, Head of Engagement and Acceptance Measures at Qualitas Energy Deutschland GmbH. “In Neißeaue, for example, we will support local projects in the areas of youth, sport, and culture,” he explains.
The Qualitas Energy Deutschland GmbH is part of the Qualitas Energy Group, which is committed to the transition to a decarbonized economy and focuses on the acquisition, financing, project development, construction, and operation of onshore wind turbines with a team of more than 250 employees in Berlin, Hamburg, Wiesbaden, Trier, Cologne, and Stuttgart.
About Qualitas Energy
Qualitas Energy is a leading investment and management platform focused on renewable energy, energy transition, and sustainable infrastructure investment. Since 2006, the Qualitas Energy team has managed investments of more than €11 billion in renewable energy worldwide. These investments have been deployed through five vehicles: Fotowatio / FRV, Vela Energy, Q-Energy III, Q-Energy IV, and Q-Energy V. Qualitas Energy’s existing portfolio currently holds more than 5 GW of operating and development energy assets, including more than 3 GW of wind, more than 1 GWp of solar PV, 242 MW of solar thermal power (CSP), 180 MW of renewable natural gas, 108 MW of battery, and 60 MW of hydroelectric power assets across Spain, Germany, the UK, Italy, Poland, and Chile. Since 2020, Qualitas Energy has produced sufficient energy to power 1.54 million homes and, since 2021, has successfully avoided emissions of 1.32 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent. The Qualitas Energy team is composed of more than 600 professionals across eleven offices in Madrid, Berlin, London, Milan, Hamburg, Wiesbaden, Trier, Cologne, Stuttgart, Warsaw, and Santiago.
Photo: Left to right, Bert Salomo (Advisor to the District Administrator, Görlitz District Office), Tom Mutter (Head of Engagement and Acceptance Measures at Qualitas Energy Deutschland GmbH), Per Wiesner (Mayor of Neißeaue), Dr Gerd Lippold (State Secretary, Saxon State Ministry for Energy, Climate Protection, Environment and Agriculture)
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