On July 24, 2026, a decision regarding the Dirmstein wind farm was announced in the Bad Dürkheim district. The Higher Administrative Court (OVG) in Koblenz rejected an urgent motion filed by 13 residents from three municipalities who sought to temporarily halt the start of construction on 17 wind turbines reaching heights of up to 266.5 meters. Their objections centered on the number and size of the turbines, as well as their proximity to several local communities. However, the court found no evidence of a potential violation of the plaintiffs’ own rights and therefore did not halt the project. BayWa r.e. plans to begin construction in 2027, while the possibility of formal objections and potential lawsuits remains open.
Dirmstein Wind Farm: Urgent Application Fails Due to Lack of Standing
According to the court, the rejection was based on a lack of standing. Citizens may only file an urgent application if their own rights are potentially being violated. However, the Higher Administrative Court (OVG) did not find this condition to be met in this case. Consequently, there was no in-depth examination of the other objections within the urgent proceedings.
Image: Shutterstock
The objection to the permit remains ongoing. Furthermore, according to the court spokesperson, the 13 petitioners still have the option to file a lawsuit. Many of them belong to the citizens’ initiative “No to the Dirmstein Wind Farm,” which criticizes primarily the number, height, and spatial concentration of the planned turbines.
17 turbines with a combined capacity of 115.6 megawatts
On March 31, 2026, the SGD Süd approved a total of 17 Nordex N175 turbines. Sixteen sites are located in Dirmstein, while one turbine is slated for construction in Obersülzen. Each turbine has a capacity of 6.8 megawatts and features a rotor with a diameter of 175 meters. With a hub height of 179 meters, the turbines reach a total height of approximately 266.5 meters. The project has a combined rated capacity of 115.6 megawatts.
According to project plans, the nearest turbine is to be located about 900 meters from Dirmstein. BayWa also specifies a distance of around 1,000 meters from Heuchelheim and Obersülzen. The Heuchelheim wind farm, comprising 14 turbines, is already situated to the east of the site. With the addition of the Dirmstein wind farm, a total of 31 wind turbines could shape the surrounding landscape in the future. Consequently, the citizens’ initiative warns of a significant alteration to the open agricultural landscape.
Construction start in 2027 entails over 3,000 transport trips
BayWa estimates an average of around 185 transport trips per wind turbine. This results in a calculated total of more than 3,100 trips for the Dirmstein wind farm during the approximately 18-month construction phase. However, large components are scheduled to arrive at night, between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. The developer is also examining the possibility of using an access route via a nearby motorway rest area.
Before construction begins, BayWa intends to participate in a renewable energy auction held by the Federal Network Agency. Construction is slated to start in 2027, with commissioning planned for 2028 and 2029. The Higher Administrative Court’s ruling allows this schedule to stand for the time being. However, further objections or legal challenges could still affect the proceedings, though they do not automatically result in a halt to construction.
Author: Blackout News
Sources: SWR (24.07.26) – Nein zum Windpark Dirmstein (02.07.26) – BayWa (Stand: 28.07.26)