Eco-activists opposed the transfer of a wind farm from Donetsk region in Transcarpathia shutterstock

Eco-activists opposed the transfer of a wind farm from Donetsk region in Transcarpathia

Katerina Belousova

Despite relatively low indicators of negative impact on the environment, standards are constantly being raised in the wind energy industry

In Transcarpathia, the company "Wind Parks of Ukraine" wanted to relocate the Kramatorsk wind farm to the Zhdeniivsk territorial community.

The community of the village of Shcherbivets "Save Pikuy" on the Facebook page opposed, motivating the decision by the fact that windmills can destroy the ecosystem of the mountains, in particular the valleys of the Watershed Range.

The material noted that The Zhdeniiv settlement council agreed to conduct meteorological research for the company. Eco-activists assumed that it was about researching the wind speed within the boundaries of the meadows.

Wind energy is the most eco-friendly type of RES, and the Ukrainian energy system suffers from a shortage of capacity.

Chairman of the Board of the Ukrainian Wind Energy Association Andriy Konechenkov explained that during the generation of electricity, wind energy facilities do not emit any solid particles, greenhouse gases, metals and other pollutants into the atmosphere.

He also debunked myths about noise pollution from wind turbines and their threat to birds and bats.

"World studies prove that a wind farm located 500 m from a settlement produces less noise than a lawnmower, vacuum cleaner or blender. Today, wind power plants are built at a distance of at least 700 m from the nearest settlements, which corresponds to the State Standard of Ukraine and the recommendations of the Ministry of Health for residential areas," Konechenkov said.

He added that numerous studies of different countries of the world prove that the main reasons for the death of birds are the collision of birds with the facades of glass skyscrapers and domestic cats. And for every 1 bird killed by a wind turbine, there are 1,000 to 2,000 bird deaths caused by cats.

The expert noted that despite the relatively low indicators of negative impact on the environment, standards are constantly being raised in the wind energy industry, and much more research is conducted to prevent, minimize and mitigate any impacts on wildlife than in any other industry.

Eco-activists noted that the Nizhnyovoritsk community, neighboring Zhdenievo, also considered and supported the request of "Wind Parks of Ukraine" for the temporary placement of masts for meteorological measurements.

They added that another neighboring Turye-Remetivsk community twice refused the company to place equipment on the Runa meadow, citing the destruction of the ecosystem and natural mountain landscape.

Earlier, EcoPolitic wrote, that a new report by the REN21 Renewable Energy Research Center showed that in Ukraine due to the full-scale invasion of Russia 90% of wind capacities have been decommissioned and 30% of solar power plants.

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