Ventspilians fight against forest being replaced with huge wind generators

Residents of Ventspils city and region have started a blitzkrieg against wind businessmen, who intend to install a large number of generators of unprecedented size for Latvia right in the wooded territories of North Kurzeme. They would reach a height of 250 meters, causing massive pollution of the landscape and significantly lowering the quality of life for local people.

All across Europe, people’s attitude towards wind turbines is about the same as it is for pig farms - the further away from the eyes and nose, the better. That is why the Danes are building their farms in Latvia. However, unlike pork, wind energy is not needed by anyone except its producers. It is much more expensive than what is traditionally produced in the Daugava hydroelectric power plants and "Latvenergo" thermoelectric power stations, and is subsidized with the help of the deeply hated mandatory procurement component ‒ OIK. Except for the small backyard propellers, which are suitable for operating a couple of light bulbs, wind turbines have so far only caused damage to the majority of the Latvian population and the country's economy. Both because of the landscape pollution and because of the millions in taxpayers' money that are spent to pay the owners of wind poles every year. Politicians justify such a scheme with the need to increase the use of renewable resources in energy production and national energy security. But in practice, it’s more than a couple existing or former politicians that benefit personally from the OIK system. Another argument the population fighting against new wind poles uses is health, which, according to one study, is harmed by those windmills, but, according to study that was ordered by the industry itself, practically improves.

They need land

Industry could completely ignore the population and feed on OIK or other similar 'green' schemes, but it needs land. The larger the wind column required for OIK production, the larger the area at the bottom must be cut down and poured with concrete. Even if the owner of a particular plot of land is willing to give the land away to be used for any purposes for a compensation of 2,000 euros a year, then the neighbors are not happy. For example, the attempt to plant the land with giant turbines in Dobele region has failed for the time being, even though the Swedish subsidiary Eolus Latvia might just to be the first wind user in Latvia that does not apply for OIK scheme. However, the population self-organized in a massive counter-campaign and forced politicians to make a negative decision - let the Swedes build on their own land, if all this is so harmless.

At the height of the six Freedom Monuments!

Now the inhabitants of North Kurzeme are taking an example from the wind opponents from Zemgale. Their environment would be altered even more by huge wind poles, as three companies or rather interest groups are applying for the felling of private or state-owned forests and the subsequent planting with rotor poles at the same time. Together they plan to plant Ventspils with 75 poles.

A signature collection campaign has been launched against two projects that have progressed. "4 Wind" company has applied for 4 wind power plants in Pope parish, in the real estate Sārce. For the company "Ventspils Wind" - 10 wind power plants in the territory of Pope and Tārgale parish near the highway Riga ‒ Ventspils and 110 kV power line. Planned height up to 240 - 250 meters. As high as six Freedom Monuments. Rotor diameter up to 158‒200 meters. These are both smaller projects, because there is another really big one waiting in line. The company with links in the Czech Republic - "Envirsus" - wants to push through the government the idea of ​​allocating state forest land for its wind business project, and install 61 turbines on the outskirts of Ventspils. The maps help visualizing that the city will literally be surrounded by huge poles and they will be visible from virtually anywhere in the city and municipality.

Local newspaper gets involved

The regional newspaper "Ventas Balss" is also involved in the campaign against this industrial pollution. First of all, one of the journalists started collecting signatures, soon the whole team got involved, and now you can also sign against the wind business in North Kurzeme in the editorial office. Editor-in-Chief Gundega Mertena explains her remarks against generators:"It's them doing whatever they want, as well as a huge wind business lobby and corruption. Municipalities lose their meaning if wind turbines can be built in front of their doors and windows without the knowledge and permission of the residents. We will not allow it and we will fight!

No one can tell me that by cutting down 250 hectares of Latvia's forests and installing wind generators there, Latvia will become greener.

It has been scientifically proven that wind turbines are harmful to health, harmful to nature, disrupt communications and are not cost-effective unless we pay millions out of our own pockets. And finally, wind generators have no place in the Latvian landscape. Ventspils region has promised, in writing, to retain it. ”

Project gets dusted off

The editor does not exaggerate. With the project, the forests will really be cut down on a grand scale. It can be read in the “Informative Report on the Planning of Design and Construction of a Wind Power Plant Park in Ventspils Region” submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers for consideration.

The characteristic indicators of “Envirsus” wind power plant design project are as follows:

• total area applied for territory research and design - 5396.63 ha;
• number of planned wind power plants - 61;
• total nominal capacity of the wind farm - 200 MW;
• area required for the construction of one wind power plant - 2.5 ha (building area under the base and assembly area);
• the amount of planned investments - approximately 230 million EUR;
• the total planned deforestation area for the installation of a wind farm - approximately 245 ha;
• deforestation area for the construction of a wind farm - approximately 150 ha;
• deforestation area for the installation of utilities (approximately 130 km long with a track width of 3‒4 m) - 50 ha;
• deforestation area for construction of access roads (approximately 45 km long with a track width of 10 m) - 45 ha.

After being convened at a meeting of state secretaries, the draft has been steeping in the government's draft legislative base for three years without progress. However, the issue of the use of state forest lands for wind business, including this particular project, has been raised by the industry lobby, the Wind Energy Association. On October 1, a meeting was held with representatives of the involved state institutions. Possible compensation mechanisms for the development of wind farms on state forest lands, solutions for organizing auctions for the granting of building rights, the need to develop such legislation that allows the establishment of wind farms on forest lands have been discussed.

Rejection requires arguments

A project of this scale will certainly need to be subject to a full environmental impact assessment, as is already the case for the two smaller projects. It will be necessary to hold a series of public consultations in which the local community will no doubt say no. However, in the end, the decision to allow or not to allow construction will be made by Ventspils Municipality Council. Mayor Aivars Mucenieks tells the Independent that there are already a bunch of wind generators in the municipality - nine in Platene by the Riga highway, three in Vēde, one in Sārnate, here and there some others are scattered. The spatial plan does not prohibit the construction of wind generators on agricultural land. On the other hand, deforestation for the installation of generators as a potential possibility is not considered in the plan at all. It is important that all the existing wind poles are small in comparison with those planned in the new projects, and, as the mayor of the municipality admits, it is really difficult to imagine how they could enter the landscape if they can be seen all around and from anywhere. The municipality is currently commissioning a landscape study. However, it is primarily necessary to wait for environmental impact assessments - how these projects will affect human health, the environment, animals, the landscape of North Kurzeme. "We also need a justification for a negative decision," the mayor sums up. Local people and activists have already begun to gather such justification.