Wind farm demolished to make way for coal mine

A German energy company is dismantling a wind farm to allow an adjacent coal mine to expand its operations.

Energy giant RWE defended the decision as necessary to strengthen supplies amid the ongoing energy crisis.

RWE said: “We realise this comes across as paradoxical. But that is as matters stand.”

Consisting of eight turbines, the Keyenberg wind farm in North Rhine-Westphalia is about half a mile from the edge of a mine covering 18 square miles and is named after the village of Garzweiler. One turbine was dismantled last week to make way for the mine’s expansion, with two others to be taken down next year.

Built more than 20 years ago, the turbines at Keyenberg are less powerful than modern equivalents, with each producing about a gigawatt hour of energy, roughly a sixth of the output of a state-of-the-art turbine.

Climate Activists said the dismantling of the turbine was symbolic of the government’s reneging on its climate promises.

Germany’s left-liberal coalition has promised to boost renewables following years of sluggish growth.