The wind energy industry treats the decision of the court of the first instance in the Tukums wind case as a green light for massive business expansion throughout the territory of Latvia. Applications for the establishment of five new wind farms have been submitted to the State Environmental Monitoring Bureau this summer, but the total number of projects in the queue for environmental impact assessment and municipal approvals has already reached 13 applications.
In total, we are talking about more than a thousand huge industrial constructions that will permanently change the landscape - a component of Latvia's Cultural Canon.
The generation of so-called green energy poses a number of other challenges. Modern wind turbines are built over 210 meters high. They are visible from miles away. The huge poles require a base of the appropriate size. Where there used to be a forest or arable land, a large area of concrete is poured. When a turbine is up and running to generate electricity, the general public does not benefit from it, as green energy is purchased at a higher cost.
The detrimental effect of mandatory procurement schemes (OIK) on the Latvian economy and public welfare is a well-known fact. However, politicians have not gone beyond just promising to abolish OIK, so Latvians continue to overpay hundreds of millions for a product they do not need - every inhabitant, on every electricity bill. The local community also does not benefit from the entry of wind business in its territory, as such business hardly creates new jobs, while local governments are not compensated for the harmful side effects of the business.
Thus, currently the only beneficiary of the pollution of the Latvian landscape with such huge engineering constructions is the owner of the wind generators who lives abroad, whoever he may be, and his hired lobbyist in Latvia Gatis Galviņš. He sits on the boards of companies established for the construction of wind farms, as well as on the council of the Latvian Wind Energy Association.
For everyone else, this business causes problems. After the Swedish company Eolus Wind AB sued the people and municipality of Tukums and defeated in the first instance those who did not agree to the establishment of a wind farm on their land, a real wind farm boom has started. And it is significant that most projects in Latvia are led by the same complainant - Swedes.
Currently, five wind farm plans have been submitted to the State Environmental Monitoring Bureau:
* SIA Valpene wind, which belongs to the same Swedish Eolus, intends to build 40 wind power turbines in Dundaga parish of Talsi municipality - in a territory consisting of 103 properties.
* SIA Alokste wind will build 23 wind power turbines in Lažas parish of South Kurzeme municipality and Gudenieki and Turlava parishes of Kuldīga municipality. In an area consisting of 68 properties. The company is owned by the Swedish Eolus.
* SIA BRVE is planning 17 wind turbines in Gaiķi and Remte parishes of Saldus municipality in 13 properties. Indirectly owned by Kārlis Krūmiņš and Evita Vītola.
* SIA Mindes Wind plans to build an unspecified number of wind turbines in Sakas parish of South Kurzeme municipality in a territory that consists of 132 properties. Developer - the Swedish Eolus.
* SIA Pievikas Wind plans to build an unspecified number of wind turbines in Sakas parish of South Kurzeme municipality and Alsunga and Gudenieki parishes of Kuldīga municipality in a territory that consists of 83 properties. The company is owned by the Swedish Eolus.
Thus, four of the five submitted wind farm projects belong to the Swedes, and in Latvia, their interests are represented by Gatis Galviņš.
It should be emphasized that these are only the wind farm applications submitted this summer. The total number is significantly higher - a total of 13 farms. These include other Swedish projects. And the total planned number of wind turbines exceeds a thousand. These engineering structures will affect the Latvian landscape, environment and quality of life in a huge area.
This is not just a problem for Latvia. In other countries, too, wind business ignores the interests of the people, justifying it with the climate policy. In northern Norway, the Sámi community has long fought against the construction of the country's largest wind farm on its historic lands. Because wind generators cannot coexist with reindeer. But the Sámi lost the court case. Like Tukums did in the first instance. And it is a significant coincidence that it also was against the wind energy giant Eolus.
Information on where it is planned to build new wind farms in Latvia has been clearly compiled by the residents' initiative group “Against wind turbines in N-Kurzeme”. It can be viewed here.
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