Wind turbines in Norway to be destroyed
In Norway (
https://bit.ly/31A0EOg), two large wind farms have
been stripped of their licenses for endangering the Sami reindeer
herders' way of life, but it is not yet clear if they will be
dismantled. Reindeer herders in central Norway have called for
the removal of giant windmills and restoration of the landscape,
but the owners plan to obtain a new license that will not violate
Sami rights. Reindeer herders argue that the sight and sound of
giant wind turbines frighten grazing animals and thus endanger
age-old traditions. On October 11, the Norwegian Supreme Court
unanimously ruled that the construction of the Storheia and Roan
wind farms violated the cultural rights of pastoralists established
by international conventions and thus the operating permits were
invalid. But the court did not explain what should happen next
with 151 turbines and tens of kilometers of constructed roads, so
the wind farms are still in operation. Lawyers representing
pastoralists said their clients saw turbine dismantling as the only
option. The direct and indirect owners of the wind farms are
German Stadtwerke Muenchen and Swiss BKW, as well as Fosen
Vind, Statkraft, TroenderEnergi, Nordic Wind Power, Energy
Infrastructure Partners and Roan Vind.
