Hagenow Ost: Controversial wind farm causes heated debates!

Hagenow Ost: Controversial wind farm causes heated debates!

The city of Hagenow is on the eve of an exciting energy policy development. At the most recent meeting of city representatives, it was decided to found two subsidiaries of Stadtwerke Hagenow: “Energiepark Hagenow GmbH & Co. KG” and “Energiepark Hagenow Verwaltungs GmbH”. This legally required procedure is intended to set the course for the development of a wind farm called “Hagenow Ost”, which is to be built between Hagenow and the Scharbow district. Loud svz.de The development of these areas, which are currently used for agriculture and are part of the Bekow landscape protection area, is fueling a controversial discussion.

Mayor Thomas Möller sums up an important concern: “We want to prevent foreign investors from becoming active in our region.” The municipal utilities' commitment to wind power could play a key role in protecting local interests and securing jobs in the long term. The West Mecklenburg regional planning association had already defined priority areas for wind development on October 1st, and Hagenow/Scharbow can be found in the list of proposals, which affects the situation in the landscape protection area.

Great interest in information

A strong sign of the population's interest was shown at the citizen information event that took place on July 14, 2025 in the Otto-Ibs-Halle. Around 320 citizens – including many members of the “Naturally Bekow” citizens’ initiative – gathered here to find out about the plans for the “Hagenow Ost” wind energy project. Stadtwerke Hagenow, in collaboration with the MEA, presented the details of the project, which envisages the construction of nine wind turbines in the northeast of the city. Loud hagenow.de Topics such as citizen participation, environmental protection and the planned network infrastructure were discussed.

The city could benefit financially from this project; According to estimates, between 500,000 and 1 million euros could be generated annually from land leases and profit distributions. A special opportunity for citizens: They can invest in a community wind turbine and thus make their electricity tariffs cheaper.

Environmental protection and concerns

Despite the interest, there are also concerns. The citizens' initiative “Naturally Bekow” has formed against the development of wind turbines, and various environmental aspects have been addressed that the municipal utilities and the partners involved must clarify quickly. For example, drinking water safety is important, where, according to the municipal utilities, no abrasion from wind turbines endangers the water source because it does not come from the vicinity of the project. Protecting wildlife is also high on the agenda; Care is taken to ensure that bird mapping is carried out and distances to nests are maintained.

After all, there are currently no plans to cut down forests. Even though many tests and approvals are still necessary, the situation in Hagenow remains dynamic. The wind turbine dismantling reserve is estimated to be between €300,000 and €500,000 per wind turbine, which represents an additional financial cushion for the city should the project be implemented.

Further information is planned for the coming weeks on a specially set up website of the municipal utilities in order to keep citizens continuously up to date. The topic of wind energy in Hagenow not only provides economic prospects, but also an intensive discussion about the right path to a sustainable energy future.