New Spatial Plan Limits Wind Farm Development Across Greece's Islands and Mountains
Brake on new wind farms with the new spatial plan for renewables: Cyclades excluded, restrictions on islands, mountain peaks above 1,200 meters, and protected areas
Protothema
Image: Protothema
Greece's new spatial planning framework for renewable energy significantly restricts wind farm development, excluding most of the Cyclades islands and setting limits on mountain elevations. The plan aims to balance energy needs with environmental protection, leaving only a few large islands eligible for new wind projects and imposing stricter criteria for both wind and solar energy installations.
- 01The new framework bans wind farms on islands smaller than 300 square kilometers, affecting nearly all Aegean islands except for 15 large ones.
- 02Wind projects are prohibited above 1,200 meters elevation, impacting areas with high wind potential.
- 03Solar parks are banned in Natura 2000 areas and untouched mountains, but allowed on highly productive agricultural land.
- 04Existing projects in the licensing pipeline, submitted by May 20, are exempt from the new restrictions.
- 05The new regulations affect around 37 GW of proposed projects, including 21 GW of solar and 16 GW of wind capacity.
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Greece's Ministry of Environment and Energy has unveiled a new spatial planning framework for renewable energy sources, which imposes significant restrictions on wind farm development in the country. The plan effectively excludes almost all islands in the Cyclades, with only Andros and Naxos remaining eligible for new wind projects. A blanket ban on wind farms on islands smaller than 300 square kilometers removes nearly the entire Aegean island complex from future development, responding to local opposition concerning tourism and environmental impacts. Additionally, wind projects are prohibited at elevations above 1,200 meters, which is expected to exclude many areas with high wind potential. The framework also introduces stricter regulations for solar energy, banning solar parks in protected areas but allowing them on productive agricultural land. While the new rules aim to balance energy development with environmental protection, existing projects in the licensing pipeline remain unaffected, totaling over 50 GW of investments. The new framework categorizes projects into four groups, ensuring that those with environmental approvals are not reconsidered. Industry representatives have expressed concerns about the strict altitude limits and the exclusion of smaller islands, arguing that these areas possess some of Greece's best wind resources.
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The new restrictions on wind and solar energy projects will significantly affect energy development in Greece's islands and mountainous regions, potentially limiting future investments and energy generation.
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