Assessment of reasons for local community's reaction in Renewable Energy Sources (emphasis on wind farms)

Dimitris Siachos*, Nikitas-Spiros Koutsoukis ** *sc Mechanical Engineer, PhD student, Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Peloponnese. ** Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Peloponnese

Objective of this study

The use of renewable energy sources, which ensures efficient, secure and sustainable energy supply is one of the main priorities of the European Union, is the primary means to reduce energy dependence at national level. The role of energy is particularly critical regarding the very competitiveness of the European economy. Although our country is a promising area for investment due to the excellent wind resources, the lack of organized development plan for renewable energy projects and the complex legal framework for years, discouraged investors. The objective of this study is to document the reasons for the reaction of local communities, scientific and cultural operators in the development of RES projects, focusing on wind farms.

Many studies and publications have been until now, in which is recorded the public opinion and the way the Society is placed towards the RES [1-18].
Siachos D., Harokopio University, thesis: Capabilities Development of Renewable Energies in our country and problems in penetration of wind energy by the local communities, 2004. Siachos D., "Acceptance of wind farms on local communities. Information & the'' involvement'' of society will contribute to the development of renewable energy." Scientific Annals of Applied Research, Vol. XIII, No 1, 2008, pp. 211-233. Kaldellis J.K. *, Kapsali M., Kaldelli El., Katsanou Ev. Comparing recent views of public attitude on wind energy, photovoltaic and small hydro applications. Elsevier, Renewable Energy 52 (2013) 197-208. Kaldellis J.K. *, Garakis K., Kapsali M. Noise impact assessment on the basis of onsite acoustic noise immission measurements for a representative wind farm. Elsevier; Renewable Energy 41 (2012) 306-314. Katsaprakakis D., A review of the environmental and human impacts from wind parks. A case study for the Prefecture of Lasithi, Crete. Elsevier, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 16 (2012) 2850-63. Kaldellis J.K., Social attitude towards wind energy applications in Greece. Energy Policy 33 (2005) 595602. Katsaprakakis D., Papadakis N, Christakis DG, Zervos A. On the wind power rejection in the islands of Crete and Rhodes. Wind Energy 2007;10:415-34. Kaldellis JK. Evaluation of Greek wind parks visual impact. Public attitude and experts opinion. Fresenius Environmental Bulletin 2006;15:1419-26. Saidur R., Rahim N., Islam M., Solangi K., Environmental impact of wind energy. Elsevier, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 15 (2011) 24232430. Bernd M., Spatial analyses of emerging and fading wind energy landscapes in Denmark. Elsevier, Land Use Policy 27 (2010) 233241. Thayer RL, Freeman CM. Altamont: public perceptions of a wind energy landscape. Landscape and Urban Planning 1987;14:37998. Dennis Y.C.L, Yuan Y., Wind energy development and its environmental impact: A review. Elsevier, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 16 (2012) 1031 1039. Torres Sibille AdC, Cloquell-Ballester V-A, Cloquell-Ballester V-A, Darton R. Development and validation of a multicriteria indicator for the assessment of objective aesthetic impact of wind farms. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 2009;13:4066. Hurtado JP, Fernndez J, Parrondo JL, Blanco E. Spanish method of visual impact evaluation in wind farms. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 2004, 8:48391. Drewitt AL, Langston RHW. Assessing the impacts of wind farms on birds. Ibis 2006;148:2942. Madders M, Philip Whitfield D. Upland raptors and the assessment of wind farm impacts. Ibis 2006;148:4356. Morrison ML, Sinclair K. Environmental impacts of wind energy technology. In: Cleveland CJ, editor. Encyclopedia of energy. New York: Elsevier; 2004. p. 43548. Binopoulos E, Haviaropoulos P. Environmental impacts of wind farms:myth and reality. Centre for Renewable Energy Sources (CRES); January 2006. http://www.cres.gr/kape/publications/papers/dimosieyseis/CRESTRANSWIND ENVIRONMENT.doc.

scientific approaches which question the usefulness of wind energy:

Scientific positions

Year

Main disadvantages of wind energy marked in each case

Reference

100 and

German

professors 1998, intellectuals Germany

They have an insignificant contribution to energy production. They occupy large tracts of land at the expense of more efficient uses. They increase fuel (gas) consumption, rather than saving it, when compared to electricity generation with modern high-efficiency gas

[21]

(manifesto)
Study of the independent 2012, U.K. British Institute Civitas,

[22]

turbines.
Study scholar Halkema William Korchinskis 2012, US of and engineering, writer A. 2008, U.K.
[24]

Their efficiency is much lower of expectations.

[23]

They are very expensive. Wind power is on the high end of cost, with coal and nuclear being on the low end

simulation study, on behalf of the Reason Foundation (http://reason.org/),

Scientific positions Year

Main disadvantages of wind energy marked in each Reference

case
Study on behalf of 2012, UK Wind power is too expensive, while not reducing The Global Warming Policy (GWPF) (www.thegwpf.org) Study published by the 2008, Global Wind Energy Brussels Council Foundation
[25]

emissions of CO2

The installation of wind parks must be treated with great caution. The large installation of wind farms induces problems to the the electricity grid. They are unreliable. The wind is variable and

[26]

(www.gwec.net)
Study published by the 2005, German
[27]

power Germany random, so that the wind energy to be completely company E.ON Energie AG

unreliable. Saving power is not practical or

economically feasible in useful range.

[28]

Study published by the 2010, US The effect of wind integration on both fuel IR (Institute for Energy Research- US),

consumption and emission reductions can in fact be negative.

Many articles are written in British and German newspapers and magazines about the ineffectiveness of wind energy

Newspaper

Publicati on date

Heading

British Dailymail (www.dailymail. co.uk) British Street Wall Journal

19 March 2012

Broken down and rusting, is this the future of Britains wind rush?

23 2010

August

Wind Power Wont Cool Down the Planet. Often

(online.wsj.com)

enough it leads to higher

carbon emissions.
British Telegraph (www.telegraph. co.uk) The
14 April 2013

Wind farm developers are facing a dramatic escalation

of opposition from dozens of

MPs who say they will fight every application in their constituencies

Newspaper

Publicati Heading on date

British

The

19 November 2012

The Duke of Edinburgh

Telegraph
(www.telegra ph.co.uk)

has made a fierce attack on

wind them farms, as describing absolutely

useless.
German Die Welt (www.welt.d
20 2012 October

Die krassen Fehlprognosen beim kostrom ie: Lies, damn lies and green statistics.

e)

German The Local (www.theloc al.de)

12 2012

October

Minister 'puts brakes' on

German energy switch.

Environmental organizations or associations have been very critical toward the wind farms
In 2008 the Greek Ornithological Society (www.ornithologiki.gr) published a study [35] entitled: "Very serious impacts of wind farms on birds.

In January 5, 2012, Dr. Patrick Moore, co-founder of Greenpeace, speaking at the 19th annual Southwest Agricultural Conference at Ridgetown campus of the University of Guelph, told about wind energy industry [36]: The industry is a destroyer of wealth and negative to the economy, the solar bubble has burst and thinks the wind bubble is about to burst. They are ridiculously expensive and don't work half the time. And no matter how many are built, they won't replace coal, gas or hydro or nuclear plants, because they are continuous and wind is not always reliable.

a series of environmental associations reacted dynamically against the installation of renewables in their area and several have applied to the Council of State against the installation of RES projects in their areas.

In April 2013 the Manis Environmental and Cultural Association (PERIPOLO MANIS) issued a brochure entitled

"Industrial Renewable Energy Systems (I.RES) ...with a critical eye" .

The data published in this brochure are largely shaped today public opinion of citizens in local communities and many of them were used for the completion of this study.

we recorded a indicative number of court actions by residents and operators in various areas have been submitted to the State Council or other courts to annul environmental permits, authorizations and other approvals by installation and licensing of RES projects implemented by PPC Renewables S.A.
Applicant Number of litigation Number of State decision Investment Agricultural cooperative of Council of State (300/2009) General Region Secretary of of the Installation of 30 MW Wind in the Municipality

Vatsounia and other residents

Thessaly Farm

6497/80692/10.11.2008

Mouzaki, (Karditsa)

Embellishing

Association Council of State (E1983/2009)

General

Secretary

of

the Installation of 1,2 MW Wind Farm Sifnos in the Municipality

Hersonissos of Sifnos and other residents

Region of south Aegean

Residents

Council of State (3250/2011)

General Region

Secretary of Ionian

of

the Installation of 10 MW Wind in the Municipality Apollonion (Kalon Oros Lefkada)

Islands Farm

(18677/13.12.2010)

Applicant Municipality Lefkada

Number of litigation Council of State (3244/2011)

Number of State decision General Region Secretary of Ionian of

Investment the Installation of 10 MW Wind Apollonion (Kalon Oros Lefkada)

Islands Farm in the Municipality

(18677/13.12.2010)

Embellishing

Association Council of State (8708/2010)

General Region

Secretary of south

of

the Installation of 3 MW Wind Paros (Anefades Paros)

Kamares (Paros) and other residents

Aegean Farm in the Municipality

(10050/04.08.2006)

1.

Hunting

Federation Council of State (6654/2008)

General Region

Secretary of

of

the Installation of 39,42 MW PV

Peloponnese Hellenic 2. Hellenic Hunters Confederation

Peloponnese System in the Municipality Megalopolis

(44.14.08/2008)

Residents

Council of State (5079/2008)

General Region

Secretary of

of

the Installation of 39,42 MW PV

Peloponnese System in the Municipality Megalopolis

(44.14.08/2008)

Summarizing the reasons for reactions against the wind turbines, we can separate them into four categories:
A) RES require environmental interventions and cause other natural disasters.
B) They have high costs (passed on to the consumer). C) Are unreliable (they depends entirely on the weather) and they can not replace base units (thermal, gas, nuclear, etc.). D) Finally, they deny the advantage of using RES and questioning even global warming from human activity.

RES require environmental interventions and cause other natural disasters.

1. the impact of natural disasters on the natural environment 2. the impact of changing the microclimate 3. the impact on the aesthetic of the landscape 4. the noise emissions 5. the impact on birds and wildlife 6. the shadow flicker from wind turbines 7. the occupation of land 8. the wind turbines electromagnetic interference.

the impact of natural disasters on the natural environment

impacts on flora, (the vegetation's destroy has impact on microclimate). greater is the impact on the most ecologically sensitive areas (rocky, sparsely populated islands, mountain peaks, peninsulas) the character of Special Protected Areas (PA) is repealed by installing large units, impact of the technical works and loggings to pass the transmission networks of electricity, soil erosion with potential impacts on groundwater from earthworks shall.

.Examples
FOTO: "Industrial Renewable Energy Systems (I.RES) ...with a critical eye"

he impact of changing the microclimate

The air velocity is significantly reduced when it passes from the impeller the wind turbine, as a part of it is absorbed and converted to energy.

On the form "Industrial RES" of the Environmental Cultural Association Mani supported -without scientific documentation- that wind turbines may be responsible for creating

anhydrous winter, as the turbines at high wind speeds do not allow the creation of snow on the mountaintops. They also argue -without scientific
documentation- that at the Panachaiko mountain occurs most often tornadoes because of wind turbines.

Visual impact
Is affected by the follow factors:

1. The wind parks normal operation. 2. The wind parks installation site. 3. The natural aesthetics of the installation area. 4. Peculiarities of the installation areas surroundings. 5. The installed wind turbines model and colour. 6. The wind turbines size. 7. fter the end of their life.

Noise emissions
The noise produced from a wind turbine is divided into:

1. the aerodynamic noice 2. and mechanical noise

Impacts on birds and wildlife

Wind turbines affect birds in one of the following ways:

fatalities due to collision with the turbines spinning blades fatalities due to electrical shock the installation of wind parks in important areas for birds, such as prey or procreation areas loss or disturbance of habitats in proximity to turbines the installation of wind parks in migration corridors.

Residents at Lake Distos (Evia), say that there is a great reduce

migratory birds after the installation of wind turbines around the lake (foto: Siachos 2004)

Safety in the Wind Farms

In some cases record toss flap portions weighing up to 500kg and over 400m from the accident (eg Cemmaes- Wales - 1993, Tarifa - Spain - 1995)

Foto: Siachos 2004 (Wind turbines next to the road, municipality Distion Evia)

3. Wind Turbines are unreliable (they depends entirely on the weather) and they can not replace base units (thermal, gas, nuclear, etc.)
As already mentioned the development of wind energy has to face insurmountable limitations: The air is variable and random, thus sometimes be very windy and sometimes not at all, The electrical grids must cover demand, which not proportionally in line with the weather,

The storage air or electricity is not practical or economically feasible to a usable level,
often, when more wind turbines are placed, the problem becomes stronger.

FIGURE 3: The level of wind power feed-in fluctuation depends on the prevailing wind strength. In 2004, wind power production in the E.ON area varied in real terms between zero and a third of the daily peak grid load. According to the report Wind Report 2005 of E.ON Netz (German Electricity Company)

FIGURE 4: The maximum monthly wind power feedin in 2004, which stood at 1,182 million kWh in February, was almost twice as high as the minimum feed-in of 646 million kWh in July. The extreme fluctuations in wind power feed-in due to the weather are also evident from a comparison of the individual months against the same periods during the previous year. This is especially evident for the months of February and September.

FIGURE 5: shows the annual curve of wind power feed-in in the E.ON control area for 2004, from which it is possible to derive the wind power feed-in during the past year: 1. The highest wind power feed-in in the E.ON grid was just above 6,000MW for a brief period, or put another way the feed-in was around 85% of the installed wind power capacity at the time. 2. The average feed-in over the year was 1,295MW, around one fifth of the average installed wind power capacity over the year. 3.Over half of the year, the wind power feed-in was less than 14% of the average installed wind power capacity over the year.

FIGURE 12: Die Welt (www.welt.de). The neighboring networks (Denmark, Austria) saved Germany from blackout on 8 December 2011, and was offered fluctuation energy from wind farms in Germany from 6.000 MW to 20.000 MW within 12 hours

4. Deny the advantage of using RES

Wind power has failed in both areas In recent years there has been growing voices argue that wind power has failed in both areas:

It is expensive and not effective in reducing emissions of CO2.

Jobs created by RES is a myth

opponents of renewable characterize as "a myth" the new jobs created by the RES. The only jobs created is limited to the design and implementation of projects, but is temporary (consulting offices, skilled personnel, landscaping companies).

Thereafter the positions are few. It is calculated that correspond one job for each investment EUR 2.7 million

We mention for example that "Aioliki Belecheri SA" for a wind power station nominal 19.8 MW, for a total cost of 24.860.500 euros creates 2 jobs and "Aioliki Zaraka Laconia SA" and "Aioliki Zaraka Spartilas & Kontorachi SA" joined in the Development Law projects in places Kontorachi and Gaidourovouni Laconia overall investment of 42.234.000 euros and will create two jobs for each project ie 4 jobs

Epilogue
It is obvious that the serious energy and environmental problems facing modern society need more studies for energy and for the improve of energy and spatial planning both at the national and European level.

Applications of Renewable Energy can provide a reliable basis for a possible agreement between the citizens, the State, investors, relevants and specific for the realization of an important part of new electricity production investments under the basic condition that the EU will stick to redesign the entire framework, facing the problems of RES and talking with the local communities.
Global Community must not see renewables simply as investment opportunities specific economic interests but as an investment in the future and future generations.