Spatial mapping and guidelines on the environmental impact assessment of wind parks in Republic of Macedonia

Abstract

The cost of generating electricity from wind is becoming competitive vis-à-vis new-build fuel driven plants, especially with respect to constant increase of prices of oil and gas, but also with respect to the new barriers and resistance against nuclear generation (especially after Fukushima nuclear plant disaster). On the other hand, wind energy as an alternative to thermal power plants is a clean source of energy that produces no greenhouse gas emissions, wastewaters and solid waste, and last but not least, there is no fuel requirement for WindPark. The percentage of participation of RES in the total consumption of final energy by 2020 in Macedonia should be equal to 21%. Following the principle of the promotion of sustainable regional and environmental development as direct implementation of EU policies, the aim of the study presented in this paper is to deliver a framework for spatial planning and sustainable development by detecting the potential areas for investment in wind energy sources. The study presented in this paper promotes eight potential locations for building of wind parks, presents the requirements and procedures to local and international investors, and facilitates the building of wind parks in a very short time. The evaluation of the impact analyses that wind parks may have on the environment and to offer possible mitigation techniques, this study presents the results of the detailed analysis for selection of potential locations for building of wind parks by mapping of: potential number of wind generators on selected wind parks sites; locations of neighbouring objects which might cause interaction and the effect of cumulative influence; the impact of sound emission (in terms of loudness) to local population; energy connection to existing or new energy infrastructure (layout of lines, location of substations); ground transportation and traffic infrastructure; geological aspects (terrain stability, erosion of the soil); seismological activity of the terrain, conformity of urban planning with respect to protection of natural disasters, protection of cultural and historic heritage; touristic regions, zones and locations; biological diversity including the fatalities of birds and bats from collisions with wind turbines; etc. In addition, software Arc GIS is applied also for analysis of the crossing points with respect to the existing and planned transmission power lines on 110 kV, 220 kV and 400 kV, but also with proposed oil-pipeline AMBO, constructed oil-pipeline Thessaloniki-Skopje, new proposed route of the pipeline, by applying safety measures and minimum allowed distance.