filed: July 15, 2011 • Estonia

Minister continues battle with wind farms

Credit: Ingrid Teesalu ERR News, Estonian Public Broadcasting, err.ee ~~

Although the idea to decrease state support for renewable energy, proposed by the Minister of Economic Affairs Juhan Parts last year, was never realized due to Reform Party opposition, the minister said that he will make a second attempt to change the situation.

“[The ministry] believes that the current government contributions are unreasonably high and [wind energy] developers are able to manage with much smaller support,” a ministry press representative said.

Such changes should also mean that the electricity prices will decrease for the end user, wrote Äripäev.

Although wind power producers make millions of euros of profit, the companies themselves say that their actual economic situation is far from rosy as banks lack trust and investors are scarce, Äripäev reported.

According to Martin Kruus, head of the largest wind farm developer Energy of Four, in terms of total energy production capacity, wealth cannot be measured by profit. “Energy, like any other infrastructure field, differs from other economic fields with its colossal investments,” said Kruus, adding that there can therefore be no talk of sitting back and enjoying the profits.

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