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Wind Power News: Cyprus
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational mission to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law. The original articles, links to which are provided, may have additional links and photos and other media that were not included here.
Wind farm project in Cyprus rejected to protect birds, habitats
Cyprus’ environment department has rejected plans for a 33-turbine wind farm near two protected Natura 2000 zones, citing irreversible damage to wildlife habitats and increased threats to vulnerable species. The proposed 49.5MW development, submitted by a private company in the communities of Pyrga, Klavdia and Alethriko, would have affected the Potamos Panayias Stazousas special protection area (SPA) and the Stavrovouni special conservation area (SCA). According to the department’s final opinion, the wind farm posed a significant risk to birds such . . . Complete story »
Environment dept under fire over wind farm
Environmental organisations Terra Cypria and BirdLife Cyprus found on Tuesday that a wind farm in Kellia state forest in Larnaca, which had been put on hold by the Environment Department for a series of violations, has been concluded with the blessings of the department itself. They said the Republic is already facing an EU procedure for failing to adequately implement a directive on birds. In the context of this procedure, the European Commission has already sent a letter of notice . . . Complete story »
Wind farm construction continues despite pending permit review
Environmental organisations on Friday reported ongoing construction of a wind farm in the Kelli Natura 2000 area, despite the fact that key permits are still pending re-evaluation. Terra Cypria and BirdLife Cyprus filed yet another complaint on Thursday about the ongoing construction of the wind farm within the Kellia State Forest in Larnaca and the Special Protection Zone of the Kosi – Pallourokampos area, which is part of the Natura 2000 Network for the protection of birdlife. According to Terra . . . Complete story »
Rare eagle found dismembered most likely killed by wind turbine, authorities say
A rare eagle which was found dead on Monday was most likely killed by a collision with a wind turbine, the Game Fund announced on Wednesday. Officers of the Game Fund found the Bonelli’s eagle in an area with wind turbines near Kosi – Ayia Anna on Monday after a transmitter with which it was fitted kept sending a static signal. The dismembered eagle is believed to have been hit by a wing of a nearby wind turbine. This is . . . Complete story »
Rare Bonelli’s Eagle found dead near wind farm
A rare bird of prey, Bonelli’s Eagle, was found dead by the Game and Wildlife Service, probably killed after it crashed into a nearby wind farm turbine at Ayia Anna, just outside Larnaca. It was one of 25 Bonelli’s eagles that have been tagged by the Cypriot authorities as part of the #LIFEBonelliEastMed programme and carry a tracking transmitter, which indicated it had stopped moving. The Game Service said this bird, a medium-sized eagle with distinctly elongated legs and massive . . . Complete story »
Windfarms and birds a deadly mix
A new Norwegian study has concluded that if just one of the [three] white blades of a wind turbine is painted black, it would cut bird deaths by 72 per cent. Colouring the blades makes it easier for the birds to spot and avoid flying into them. Which [raises] the question of what the Cyprus government is doing to prevent the killing of birds and bats by turbine blades, given the largest wind farm, Orites, alone has 41 turbines. Orites . . . Complete story »
‘Shameful’ projects will harm nature says Birdlife
The Paphos-Polis highway, the wind farm in the protected Koshi-Pallourokampos area, and the EAC photovoltaic park within an important bird area near two Natura 2000 sites in the Akrotiri peninsula are three planned projects which are “cases of shame”, BirdLife Cyprus said on Tuesday. “At a time when nature is facing an unprecedented crisis, states now more than ever have an obligation to protect their Natura 2000 sites,” the environmental NGO said. “In the case of Cyprus, however, the state . . . Complete story »
Three heavy blows to Cyprus nature in undermining Natura 2000 network
At a time when nature is facing an unprecedented crisis, states now more than ever have an obligation to protect their Natura 2000 sites. In the case of Cyprus, however, the state is not only failing to protect these precious sites, but it is destroying them by its own hand, turning a blind eye to the biodiversity crisis and even its own laws. Below are three current ‘cases of shame’ when it comes to the protection of the Natura 2000 . . . Complete story »
Wind power is a shameful waste
Some months ago, I wrote a piece for the Sunday Mail about the inordinate waste of public resources in spending Cyprus’ entire alternative energy budget on dozens of wind turbines. This scandalous waste of money was perpetrated by a minister who evidently did little or no homework or research on the issue and was thus responsible for all these unsightly bat and bird killers and the creation of entirely uneconomic electricity. The degree of parasitical energy to keep the turbines . . . Complete story »
A few dozen almost useless behemoths
It is a year or two ago that I several times drew attention to the inefficiency, wastefulness, and ugliness of the wind turbines a former energy minister foisted upon this island, using virtually all the alternative energy budget available at the time. I invited whatever authority is responsible to advise us exactly what the cost/benefit of our turbines is – but answers came there none. However, the 2011 electricity demand (latest figures recorded) in Cyprus was 4.7 gigawatts and It . . . Complete story »
