Wind Power News: Estonia
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch 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.
Ministries arguing over wind turbine fee for fishing sector
The Ministry of Rural Affairs has turned to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications (MKM) as it finds the latter has ignored prior agreements concerning compensation for the fishing sector in draft legislation regulating wind turbine fees. Draft legislation to reduce Estonia’s dependence on natural gas, currently in its second reading in the Riigikogu, has been complemented with proposed amendments to the Environmental Charges Act that include compensation for fishing companies as part of wind farm toleration payments if . . . Complete story »
Latvia rejects Orsted offshore wind farm plan
Orsted’s application to develop an offshore wind farm in Latvian waters has been rejected by Latvia’s Ministry of Economics and State Chancellery. The planned project, which was to be developed adjacent to Enefit’s Liivi project in Estonian waters, has been rejected while the Latvian and Estonian authorities search for a suitable location for the Elwind project. Enefit will continue to develop the Liivi offshore wind farm in Estonia, said chief executive Hando Sutter. Orsted head of markets for the continental . . . Complete story »
Gallery: Wind turbine snaps at Saaremaa wind farm
A wind turbine at the Sõnajalg-owned Salme Wind Farm in Saaremaa snapped on Tuesday. No people were injured in the incident. “The accident is no big deal,” Andres Sõnajalg told Delfi (link in Estonian). “We’ll repair it and it will work again.” The turbine in question is an older generation wind turbine produced by Enercon. According to Sõnajalg, the technology used by their Eleon turbines is new and better protected against such situations. [rest of photos available at source] Complete story »
Islanders concerned about effects of large wind farms
Residents living on Saaremaa’s Sõrve Penninsular are concerned about the impact of large-scale sea wind farms planned for the area in the coming years. Planning permission has already been given to build 100 wind turbines in the Baltic Sea off the south coast of Saaremaa but residents say they do not know what effect they will have on the environment on their living space. But developers would already like to double the size of the initial plans. If the current . . . Complete story »
Supreme Court: Developing wind energy in significant public interest
The Supreme Court of Estonia has ruled that wind-farm developing is of significant public interest, and that arguments that existing activities in an area planned for a renewable energy site, such as peat-cutting, do not mean that a wind-farm project should be off the table. In the ruling Wednesday, the court found also that state institutions and municipalities must both make viable the relevant planning and establishment of a wind-farm. Planning applications and other issues have mired at least one . . . Complete story »
Supreme Court: Defense reason enough for limiting wind farm developments
The Supreme Court has decided that it is permissible to restrict wind farm developments following national defense considerations. The court found no unconstitutional aspects in legal acts Toila Rural Municipality relied on when refusing a wind farm construction permit. At the heart of the matter was the decision of the Toila Rural Municipality to refuse a building permit for the Päite-Vaivina wind farm. Est Wind Power OÜ applied for a permit for 28 wind turbines in March of 2016. The . . . Complete story »
Estonian court annuls rural municipality’s refusal to grant building permit to wind farm
TALLINN – The Tartu circuit court on Tuesday dismissed an appeal by the Toila rural municipality in the case regarding the construction permit of the Paite-Vaivina wind farm in northeast Estonia. The court dispute concerned whether or not the Toila rural municipality had the right to refuse a construction permit to the Paite-Vaivina wind farm. Developer of the wind farm Est Wind Power OU in November 2015 applied for the Toila rural municipality to issue design conditions for the construction . . . Complete story »
Black Stork nest hampers windfarm development progress
Plans to build a wind farm in southwestern Estonia are being held up after the discovery of a rare Black Stork’s nest in the vicinity. The plot of land at Tootsi, about 30 km northeast of Pärnu, cost state-owned energy provider Eesti Energia €51.5 million when they bought the land at auction in February. While an environmental inspection of the plot was conducted in 2016, no sign of any black storks nests were found at the time, business daily Äripäev . . . Complete story »
Construction of Risti wind farm questioned by local municipality
On Thursday, the Lääne-Nigula council gave the rural municipality government a task to investigate whether the special plan of the 290-meter long wind farm planned by Enefit Green near Risti borough should be changed or suspended. The plans will see a wind farm consisting of 17 to 30 wind turbines up to 290 meters high built in the area. The decision should be made by the council in December. The municipality has developed doubts that it is not possible to . . . Complete story »
Defense ministry wants to tighten up Saaremaa wind farm planning criteria
The defense ministry wants to impose stricter criteria on the location and details of proposed Saaremaa wind farms. The ministry says it opposes the current draft spatial plan, citing changes in defense requirements, regional daily Saarte Hääl reports (link in Estonian). In particular, the ministry has singled out two potential locations at the eastern extremities of the current plan, at Sikassaare, just outside the island’s capital, Kuressaare, and Karujärv, the island’s largest lake, as being unsuitable. Should a wind farm . . . Complete story »
