Opponents of wind energy want to unite, environmentalists see no reason

Čenkovice (Orlickoústecko) - Opponents of wind turbine construction have decided to unify their fragmented protest activities. In Čenkovice in the Orlickoústecko region, representatives of 11 civic associations agreed to establish an umbrella organization to represent their interests. They consider the current construction of wind turbines to be chaotic and unstructured, said Jarmila Schlegelová from the organizing association Naše Výprachtice. On the other hand, ecologists consider the current permitting process for wind turbine construction to be sufficiently strict.
    "At the meeting, a proposal to establish a union of civic associations was unanimously accepted, whose primary mission will be to defend the fundamental human rights of citizens threatened by the consequences of chaotic wind turbine construction and insufficient legislation in this area," Schlegelová stated.
    Together, the opponents of wind turbines also want to protect the environment and the landscape character of the Czech Republic. They aim to provide and share experiences and information in the monitored area, coordinate the actions of their members, and represent themselves externally to state authorities and institutions to advocate for a fundamental change in state policy regarding the support of wind energy utilization.
    According to Petr Holub, who is involved with wind energy at the ecological organization Hnutí Duha, the current legal framework adequately protects residents from inappropriate wind turbine construction. "There are quite a few administrative barriers to the development of wind power, and there are ample opportunities for citizens and local associations to intervene in the permitting process, at least in terms of assessing their impact on the environment. Our effort, on the other hand, aims at simplifying the legislation, for example, by negatively defining where turbines cannot stand," Holub told ČTK.
    In a referendum two years ago, for example, local people managed to prevent extensive wind turbine construction in Koclířov in the Svitavy region. Conversely, in the vote on the wind power plant in Výprachtice, nearly 80 percent of participating residents were in favor.
    At the end of last year, there were wind power plants in the Czech Republic with an installed capacity of 42.6 megawatts. This figure is still growing; last year, the turbines produced a total of 49.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity. In the Pardubice region, wind turbines currently stand in only a few locations, but investors are planning further extensive construction. They could be built in Mladkov, Vlčkovice, Žipotín, Česká Rybná, Hejnice, and Výprachtice in the Orlickoústecko region, or in Dětřichov, Ostré Kameni, Janov, Jedlová, and Nedvězí in the Svitavy region. The cities of Svitavy and Polička also wish to build their own wind sources. There are also sporadic plans for wind power plants in the Chrudim region, for example near Holetín or Otradov.