In the Znojmo area, the construction of eleven wind farms is being prepared

Brno - In the Znojemsko region, two wind farms could emerge in the coming years with a total capacity of nearly 25 megawatts. The company Eldaco wants to build three power plants around the villages of Lesná and Vracovice, while another eight would be constructed in the Kraví hory area by the company Ráj dřeva from nearby Pavlice. Both projects are currently awaiting environmental impact assessments.
    The trio of wind turbines from Eldaco is to be equipped with a system from the Danish company Vestas Wind Systems with a capacity of 2.75 megawatts. Their construction will cost about 300 million crowns. The investor expects a twenty-year operation, with the power plants projected to produce around 18 gigawatt-hours in one year. "This corresponds to the energy consumption of about 12,000 people who live within an 11-kilometer radius of the power plants," said Eldaco director Iva Štastná to CTK today.
    The wind farm between the villages of Pavlice and Vranovská ves could produce nearly three times the amount of energy in a year. Eight turbines with a capacity of two megawatts could generate over 44 gigawatt-hours annually. "If we obtain all the necessary permits, the power plants could start generating around 2009 to 2010," said the owner of Ráj dřeva, Jaromír Kovářík, to CTK today.
    Wind energy projects have not been very successful in southern Moravia so far, despite the fact that the Czech Republic is supposed to generate eight percent of its energy from alternative sources by 2010. The regional authorities have mostly rejected the majority of proposals. The reasons are generally the same - the turbines would disturb the landscape, could negatively impact the environment, and would create too much noise, disturbing local residents.
    According to an analysis from the South Moravian regional office, conditions for wind and hydropower in the region are poor. "Due to adverse weather conditions, many of the towers are higher than 60 meters, which the regional office does not favor," said Anna Hubáčková, head of the regional environmental department, to CTK previously. Good winds, according to the analysis, only blow in parts of Znojemsko, where a wind farm in Břežany is already operating. It is currently the only one in the region.
    In the past, the region has rejected wind farms in Kuželov, Nenkovice, and Násedlovice in the Hodonín area, in Klobouky near Brno, as well as in Bošovice and Rousínov in the Vyškov region. While the relevant building authority ultimately decides on construction, they usually heed the stance of the regional officials.