Wind power: The goal is to combine climate protection and good jobs

“Massive expansion of wind energy as a key to climate protection and resilience” is the motto of the wind energy industry trade fair in Hamburg, which ends on Friday. On Thursday, over 200 employees from the wind energy industry protested with a banner campaign against Federal Economics Minister Reiche's plans to fundamentally change the Renewable Energy Act (EEG). The employees particularly criticize the planned end of the guaranteed full feed-in for wind and solar systems and the loss of compensation in the event of forced curtailment of wind and solar parks.

“We demand that the networks be expanded instead of slowing down environmentally friendly wind energy,” says Pawel Bechthold. He is a trainee at a large wind energy company and is involved in the Wind Campaign, which also initiated the photo campaign at the trade fair.

“It was initiated by people from the climate movement who wanted to bring together the commitment to climate justice and the fight for good working conditions and good jobs in Germany,” said Bechthold. He was involved with Friday for Future for several years before starting training in the wind energy industry.

With his involvement in the Wind Campaign, he wants to bring together climate activism and employee advocacy. For weeks he has been collecting signatures from his colleagues on a petition to the Federal Ministry of Economics and the Federal Government. There, secured jobs and a strong expansion of renewable energies are required.

The target of 5,000 signatures has now been exceeded. The signatures of the conference of energy ministers meeting in Hanover are to be handed over on September 30th. But for Bechthold the work continues. He emphasizes the good cooperation with IG-Metall-Küste on the Wind campaign. “This is where the fight to preserve jobs and the fight against fossil fuels coincide and we will continue it,” emphasizes Bechthold.