Protected area buffer zone may not prevent wind farm development
Wind farms may be considered in the buffer zones of protected areas if they pose no threat to nature, the Ministry of Climate says. None are currently planned.
Special and general plans for wind farms are initiated and processed by local governments, which assess environmental and other impacts and consult with relevant authorities.
Karlis Goldstein, head of renewable energy at the Ministry of Climate, told ERR that whether a wind farm can be built in a protected area depends on the specific location.
Protected areas are divided into zones with varying levels of restriction — such as nature reserves, strict protection zones and limited management zones — each with different rules for human and economic activity.
According to Goldstein, building wind turbines is not permitted in nature reserves, strict protection zones within protected areas, permanent habitats and their core zones or in the habitats of species under the highest level of protection.
"However, in limited management zones, wind turbines may be considered if the protection rules allow for it," he added. "Any activity must not endanger the area's conservation objectives or other environmental values. To that end, detailed environmental impact assessments are conducted and made public before any plans are approved."
Goldstein noted that wind farms are preferably built on industrial land or in human-altered landscapes to reduce the impact on nature and to place renewable electricity production closer to potential users.
"In both cases, proximity to existing infrastructure helps lower the financial and environmental costs of new energy developments," he said.
The Ministry of Climate representative also pointed out that EU regulations allow for the expedited development of renewable energy projects in cases of overriding public interest. These include criteria for when environmental impact assessments can be waived.
"It's essential that such projects be located outside the Natura 2000 network and not harm protected species. Estonia is also committed to developing wind energy projects outside protected areas," Goldstein said.
He added that while some protected areas could theoretically be considered for renewable energy projects, the process is complex because it requires solutions that do not compromise the area's conservation goals.
"To our knowledge, no wind farms are currently being planned in protected areas," Goldstein confirmed.
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Editor: Karin Koppel, Marcus Turovski
