Blades visible on the horizon and cable in the paradise of Tuerredda: the challenge to the landscape of the offshore wind farm

It is not true that the wind turbines will not be seen from the coast: they will be clearly visible on the horizon. And they will be connected to the ground with a cable that will land on the beach of Tuerredda : a piece of paradise that will become an easement for "380 kV Hvac underwater cable ducts". But no, they will not disturb military exercises, neither at sea nor in the air.

Here are some details of the "Sardinia South 2" project for the construction of a large offshore wind farm in the waters off Cape Spartivento and Capo Malfatano, presented by Avenhexicon Srl, defined as a "50-50 joint venture between the renewable plant development company Avapa Energyu Srl, based in Italy, and the Swedish company Hexicon AB”.

They are contained in hundreds of pages filed with the Ministry of the Environment, which must decide whether to give the green light to the construction of 30 blades at «a minimum distance from the Sardinian coast of 30 km (equal to over 16 nautical miles)» in a park that «it has a planned extension of 169 square kilometers». That is 16,900 hectares. To understand: 24,853 Cagliari football items at the Unipol Domus.

«It», continues the general report, «is composed of 15 triangular-shaped floating foundation structures anchored to the seabed, each equipped with 2 wind turbines, each with a nominal power of 25 MW, for a total number of wind turbines equal to 30 and a total power of the plant of 750 MW".

The transport of the energy produced «will take place via a trio of 380 kV Hvac underwater cable ducts for a length of 47 km up to the coast of Tuerredda beach, and subsequently, through a trio of terrestrial cable ducts, which will run along the existing road network up to the Perdaxius station for a length of 58 km". Written in black and white, complete with a photo simulating the passage of the cable on the white sand of the pearl of south-west Sardinia.

And will those wind towers be invisible from the ground, as we often hear? The answer is no and it can still be seen from the cards. «The location of the project took into account the degree of visibility of the same from the coasts and promontories present», we read, «confirming the choice made on the project site, located in waters very distant from the coast and, therefore, not interfering with ordinary human activities (tourism, fishing and related activities), it has been found that, due to the curvature of the earth, the wind turbines are located at such a distance that they cannot be clearly distinguished". But then there are the photosimulations: and the blades can be seen with the naked eye even from the beach of Cala Cipolla. It is not necessary to climb any promontory to distinguish them on the horizon.

There is also good news. But for the Ministry of Defense: «As regards the area of interest, there are no particular restrictions for military naval exercises and airspace areas. Therefore", is the conclusion, "the installation of the wind farm appears to be compatible with the provisions of the military and civil aeronautical authorities". So: those wind turbines might be a challenge to the landscape but they won't disturb military exercises.