Good practice:

Wind energy and peatland rewetting

The municipality of Schwanewede is pursuing the goal of covering 100 % of its electricity consumption from renewable energies by 2030. The Klingenberg wind farm planned by Enerqiequelle GmbH contributes 13% to this goal. 12,000 private households will be supplied with electricity by the wind farm. The six E101 turbines from Enercon each have a rated output of 3 MW, a hub height of 135 m and a rotor diameter of 101 m.
As compensatory measures for the construction of the wind farm, in addition to the planting of a 300 m long new row of trees and the reforestation of site-typical forest on an area of 3,000 m², 12 ha of local drained moor were also rewetted. Built dams trap the precipitation water, rewetting the moor area in the long term. Peatlands contribute to climate protection. They store carbon and reduce CO2 emissions. Very special plants and animals can settle here. The revitalisation of the peatland will be biologically monitored for 12 yr.
Around 80 landowners had to agree to their land being withdrawn from use. The use of the land is now secured through lease agreements for the duration of the wind farm. Since much of the land could not be used for agricultural purposes and thus has been more of a financial burden for the landowners up to now, they are now satisfied to receive a rent for their land for at least 20 years. In addition, the electricity supplier offers all residents in the vicinity of the wind farm a low-priced, locally tailored electricity tariff.

Human resources required: Planning offices, authorities, project planners, dredger drivers and dams construction.
Costs for peatland rewetting (planning, execution and monitoring) around € 250,000

With this measure, the compensation of several protected goods was combined. The peatland restoration now not only enhances the habitat for flora and fauna. The development of the area back into a bog stops the release of carbon dioxide from the peaty soil caused by the drainage and could lead to a binding of the climate-damaging gas in the form of peat again in the long term. The measure thus makes a significant contribution to climate protection.

The relatively smooth planning and implementation of this project only worked because the developer attached great importance to transparent planning and communication with all parties involved. Time-consuming discussions and always having an "open ear" for the problems of the local population and the responsible municipality were key to the municipality were the key to the successful implementation of this measure.
On behalf of the project developer, a short film was made in which local actors from the authorities and the population as well as the project developer himself have their say and shed light on the special nature of the measure. The film also reports on the construction of the dams.
In the film, farmer Kalli Harries, for example, recalls the good cooperation with the project developer and emphasises that there was always a short line of communication to find solutions together.
In German: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3h7OzahVHw&t=7s