The search for suitable locations for wind parks is in the spotlight of European renewable energy policies. Last week, the EUKI-funded #Wind4Bio project arranged a study tour to a future wind park site in Zemgale Region, Latvia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our visit included a trip to Laflora Latvija<\/a>, a local peat company, where we learned about their plan to transform former peat extraction fields into a green industrial area. This development would involve a 90-110 MW wind park along with 88 MW of agrovoltaics, greenhouses, and energy-intensive production facilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Laflora stands out for its commitment to advancing climate-neutrality strategies in the Latvian peat industry and exploring innovative approaches to peatland recultivation. The project received environmental impact assessment approval in 2021, and construction is likely to commence this year led by the company Windy. Given the scarcity of operational wind parks in Latvia (totalling 137 MW), Laflora\u2019s project will be among the first ones to use technologies that minimize bat mortality and ensure long-term bird monitoring. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Following a guided bus tour through the expansive peatlands, we held a session with representatives from the Nature Conservation Agency (D<\/a>abas aizsardzibas parvalde<\/a>) and Latvian Wind Energy Association (Veja energijas asociacija<\/a>).<\/a> To speed up wind park permitting, we need institutions equipped with skilled environmental experts and reliable decision-making systems. One of Wind4Bio’s objectives is to encourage the wind industry to adopt novel approaches to mitigating biodiversity risks through comprehensive data sources and collaboration with other stakeholders.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out highlights from our study visit here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The project \u201cWind4Bio \u2013 Increasing the Social Acceptance of Wind Energy<\/strong>\u201d involves four partners from Greece, Poland, and Latvia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n #smartsiting<\/strong> #windenergy<\/strong> #TogetherFor100RE <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n EUKI European Climate Initiative<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n ZalaBriviba<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Promea<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n WiseEurope<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n