The Intermunicipal Communities (CIM) and Metropolitan Areas (AM) are in favor, even with recommendations, for the production of wind energy offshore in Portugal, an inter-municipal source revealed this Thursday.
On September 4, the proposal for the Allocation Plan for the Exploration of Renewable Energy (PAER) was received. positive final opinion of the Advisory Committee created to monitor plan preparation and composed of coastal AM and CIM and whose work has been ongoing since May.
In the final opinion, prepared under the coordination of the president of the Intermunicipal Community of the Aveiro Region (CIRA), Ribau Esteves, “the high importance for the production of wind energy offshore [energia renovável oceânica] contribute to improve Portugal’s capacity in terms of energy productionwith due realism and careful sustainability.”
According to a CIRA statement, the possibility of “promoting industrial growth and development in the aggregate areas necessary to achieve the stated objective” is also highlighted.
Everything that is going to be done at sea must be adequately cared for on land, with regard to the necessary logistical and industrial support, making its execution compatible with due quality with other uses and urban, environmental, economic, social values, among others. “, warn the inter-municipal associative structures in the opinion.
Particular concern is expressed about possible “negative impacts on the economic activity of fishing”Therefore, they want “the implementation of measures to make fishing activity compatible with the existence of wind farms, and in extreme cases, with the corporate compensation due to the inactivation of some fishing capacities, particularly in terms of trawling.”
There are stretches of the Portuguese western coast that present erosion problems, which forces the PAER to accept this reality and point out the need to make proportional and large-scale investments, so that the territory that will receive activities supporting energy production offshoreThey have, at this basic level of their existence, the appropriate resilience and training,” they add.
“The CIM/AM”urge the Government and the public and private managers of the PAER and its implementation at seaas well as its direct impacts on the land, assume due dialogue with the municipalities directly involved”, remembering that the definitions of uses and the compatibility exercises of territorial planning are made and carried out in the Municipal Master Plans (PDM)”.
They also want “an independent technical-scientific evaluation to be carried out, with the participation of universities and polytechnic institutes, to analyze estimated impactsin terms of economy, society and environment, climate and biodiversity, the construction of new offshore wind installations in areas where they could come into conflict with the fishing sector and in environmentally sensitive areas.”
The project for the creation of a wind farm. offshore In Portugal, with 10 GW of power, it defined Viana do Castelo, Leixões, Figueira da Foz, Ericeira-Cascais and Sines as possible areas for exploring renewable energy.
The first competitive procedure will open at the end of 2023, “starting with a prequalification phase, lasting at least three months,” the Government detailed on July 11.
Source: Observadora
