The new directive for solar panels on listed buildings announced by the Rhineland-Palatinate state government is about to be completed. "The publication is expected in the next few weeks," said the Ministry of the Interior in Mainz at the request of the German Press Agency. Solar systems could then be installed on most of the cultural monuments.

Only if the solar systems lead to a "significant impairment of the substance and appearance of the cultural monument" could a different decision be taken, the ministry wrote in response to a parliamentary question from the CDU parliamentary group. In response to the dpa request, it also emphasized that the approval would remain a case-by-case decision by the responsible lower monument protection authorities. This checks which roof areas of a listed building are suitable for the solar panels.

Accordingly, the guideline is drawn up by the Ministry of the Interior and the Directorate of State Monument Preservation of the General Directorate for Cultural Heritage (GDKE). It is an important contribution to more climate protection and at the same time reflects the desire of many monument owners for a solar system.

The guideline is intended to help promote the expansion of renewable energies in Rhineland-Palatinate. Interior Minister Michael Ebling (SPD) also presented details of this in the state parliament in January. The state government also plans to no longer completely rule out the use of wind energy in nature park core zones in the future. In addition, the minimum distance between wind turbines and residential areas is to be reduced to 900 meters. Until now, the minimum distance for systems more than 200 meters high was 1100 meters.

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