Enefit Green is exploring the possibility to build a wind farm in Paikuse rural municipality district, Pärnu county
Eesti Energia’s renewable energy company Enefit Green has submitted an application to the city of Pärnu for initiating a designated spatial plan to conduct the strategic environmental assessment and ascertain whether the marshy area in Paikuse rural municipality district, about 20 kilometres from the city of Pärnu, is suitable for building a wind farm.
According to Aavo Kärmas, Chairman of the Managing Board of Enefit Green, this is already the third application for a wind farm development project in Estonia during the last year by Enefit Green. “In addition to the application for a designated spatial plan submitted to the city of Pärnu, applications for building a wind farm have also been submitted to Lääne-Nigula rural municipality in Lääne county and to Saarde rural municipality in Pärnu county. If even part of these wind farm projects are implemented, it will be a very important breakthrough, and change of direction towards producing green energy in Estonia,” said Kärmas.
Building wind farms has not gone easily in Estonia so far. “Despite the climate policy requiring cleaner energy production, the last major wind farms here were completed more than seven years ago. If Estonia as a country wants to reach our own future renewable energy goals, the building of new wind farms is inevitable,” added Kärmas.
According to the initial plans, the wind farm is aimed to be built in Paikuse rural municipality district, near Põlendmaa, at a distance of at least a kilometre from the nearest residential house. “We understand that the building of the wind farm requires the support of local residents, and we are open to constantly share information about the project and answer all questions. During the initial steps of the development, we have worked closely together with the local government and have already met with the local communities,” said Kärmas. “The response so far has been encouraging. It is also positive that people understand the positive effect of the wind farm on local economy and labour market,” added Kärmas.
If the city of Pärnu approves the application for a designated spatial plan, as a next step, a strategic environmental assessment is expected to be conducted, during which it will be ascertained, whether the area includes protected species, and whether the wind farm and its infrastructure have an effect on the natural environment and the habitat. The studies are expected to last for about 3 years, during which the local residents will also be included repeatedly. Based on the results of the studies, it will become clear whether and on which conditions it is possible to establish a wind farm to that area.
Eesti Energia group has set the goal to reduce electricity production by direct burning of oil shale and increase the share of cleaner and more environmentally friendly renewable energy in its production portfolio. The group aims to produce 45 percent of its electricity production from renewable and alternative sources by 2023. This also aligns with the goal of the Estonian state to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from energy production.
Enefit Green is a renewable energy company belonging to the Eesti Energia group that currently owns 20 wind farms in Estonia and Lithuania, four cogeneration plants in Iru, Paide, Valka and Broceni, one hydroelectric power plant in Keila-Joa, 36 solar power plants in Estonia and Poland, and a pellet factory in Latvia. The company is one of the largest renewable energy producers in the region and the largest producer of wind energy.