WIND ASSOCIATION MEETS WITH MOD

The Swedish wind power association reports it had a constructive meeting with the ministry of defence on October 4, called to discuss a series of vetoes made against wind development by military authorities. These vetoes have fallen on several projects at the end of an otherwise successful permitting process. Discussion at the meeting focused on ways to solve the conflict. A lack of personnel in the relevant military department was given as the reason for the lateness of decisions on the wind projects, not a dislike of wind power by the people handling the applications. They, it turned out, are positively inclined towards wind and are working hard to have the restrictions on wind power development in sensitive areas eased. It was agreed to form a working group of representatives from the wind association, the military, the defence and energy departments and from the regional planning authorities for Skåne in the south of Sweden. The group will initiate a research project to find out how wind turbines affect radar and other equipment and test different towers, paints and so on that might reduce interference