«The race for the wind in the Gallura sea can destroy the locomotive of tourism in Sardinia»

Five projects, over 400 wind turbines off the north-eastern coast of Sardinia between Baronia and Gallura. Administrators and the business world all agree: offshore wind farms, if built, would be a new easement that threatens the environment and tourism.

The forum of L'Unione Sarda was attended by Rita Deretta (mayor of San Teodoro and president of the marine protected area of Tavolara), Pasquale Ruiu (mayor of Posada), Roberto Ragnedda (mayor of Arzachena) and Paolo Manca (president of Federalberghi).

Five wind projects with 460 blades in the sea between Posada and Caprera: if they were approved, what repercussions would they have on the landscape, tourism and fishing?

Rita Deretta (mayor of San Teodoro and president of the Tavolara Marine Protected Area): «They would affect our main industry, tourism. The environmental implications and interactions would be very strong. While the Region and the Government finance initiatives for the protection and enhancement of fauna and flora, the possibility of authorizing wind turbines in front of the coast is being evaluated. As if – in land use planning – the right hand did not know what the left hand is doing».

Roberto Ragnedda (mayor of Arzachena): «A distortion of Gallura would undermine the identity of a land that has already decided how to live its future and, to achieve the goal, has rigidly protected the environment. The landscape impact would be evident for the Arzachena area, it would ruin the future of the new generations. We are all in favor of the energy transition but without compromising our wealth. We have the duty to defend Sardinia from these new easements sponsored by special purpose companies with negligible capital that cannot even guarantee maintenance or dismantling. Suffice it to say that there is no serious preliminary study that explains what the real impact would be. Our ecosystem would certainly be devoured by speculation, it would change our way of life».

Paolo Manca (hotelier and president of Federalberghi): «We cannot allow a total or partial alteration of the environment that is today the main tourist attraction. It must be said, however, that the path towards renewables has begun and cannot be stopped, but must be shared with the territory. Wind turbines hundreds of meters high in front of the coast are unacceptable, but the levers that can be used to defend oneself from speculation can lead to the evaluation of serious projects, which are not the ones we are talking about».

Salvatore Ruiu (mayor of Posada): «The impact would be devastating, and could even get worse. Let me explain: in 2022 the turbines were planned to be 25 kilometers from the coast, in the latest studies the distance has been reduced to 13 kilometers. Tourism is saving Italy, putting it in crisis in the north-eastern part of Sardinia would be crazy. We have already given a lot with the easements. The wind towers would irreparably modify the marine corridors, also damaging fishing and influencing the Ramsar wetland of Posada».

The historic Porto Cervo real estate agent Lorenzo Camillo predicts a collapse in the value of real estate and, in turn, the impact on many productive sectors.

Deretta: «You are right, it would have important repercussions, especially at a time when investments are underway that will generate a powerful spin-off in the tourism sector. We must listen to the feelings and warnings of those who know the sector well. We are certain that the results we are obtaining in tourism are good, while on the other side of the scale there remain only speculative projects».

Ragnedda: «What Lorenzo Camillo, as a technician, says is absolutely understandable. The district would lose credibility, the consequences would be disastrous. The Costa Smeralda is an economic-social-cultural model with repercussions throughout Sardinia, many have come to work here, have created a family and have contributed to the growth of our land. The Aga Khan considered nature an essential element, for this reason the properties are unique pieces, set in a protected environment, with far-sighted municipal administrations that have safeguarded it. We talk about ecology, about transition, but we must be aware that these environmental interventions have nothing to do with it. They compromise the Costa Smeralda without giving anything in return. We must question the quotas of energy to be produced in the regions: the Sardinian people took to the streets and reiterated a firm no. We do not want to end up like places like Creta, cited by Camillo as a symbol of paradise scarred by wind turbines».

Manca: «It is clear that if the current scenario around the Costa Smeralda were to be altered, the depreciation of the entire tourism system would be certified. The determining factor is that we are talking about uncertain wind projects, with undefined actors, in the face of certain damage. A setback in Gallura would hit the tourist locomotive of Sardinia. At the moment in which a national rule imposes this slavery, servitude, call it what you want, we must be able to clarify our development priorities with the Government. It is not enough to stop these disproportionate projects today, we must set the rules for the future».

Ruiu: «The administrators were farsighted, sixty years ago they were aiming for Olbia to build a petrochemical plant and the mayor at the time opposed it. A year later the Aga Khan arrived and the adventure began in which workers from all over the island participated. Today we are reaping the benefits: we don't have any eyesores or unfinished buildings, our beaches have unique characteristics. We don't want to let everything go to waste».

Have you ever been contacted by companies that want to build wind farms? What did they offer you for the sacrifice? Are the mediators Sardinian?

Deretta: «We met them on video call: the intermediary was a Sardinian. They had in their hands a project designed for the North Sea with blades anchored in 80-meter depths that in our country are over a thousand. We asked: “Where are the sureties? What do we do with these blades when they are decommissioned, do we protect them as if they were nuraghi?”. Never seen them again. The Tibula wind farm, a project worth three and a half billion, is proposed by a limited liability company with 10 thousand euros of share capital, not even enough money to pay a consultant's fee. It is wrong to think that anyone who talks about ecological transition is the bearer of positive news».

Ragnedda: «We have drawn up the observations to the project in which we explain our firm opposition. We must make the Government understand that it is compromising the future of an island that has rolled up its sleeves and is moving forward with its own strength».

Manca: «Some time ago, the companies that propose wind turbines in the Gallura sea made a request for contact through a press office-lobby that acts on their behalf. In those weeks, the controversy broke out in the media and the meeting did not take place. The strategy of these investors-speculators is proving to be wrong because it has managed to catalyze the attention of Sardinia against them».

Ruiu: «In the 19th century there was the American gold rush, today Sardinia is at the center of the wind rush. We met these alleged entrepreneurs in April 2022, the war in Ukraine had just broken out and there was a lot of talk about alternative energy. The spokesperson was a journalist from Olbia. They told us that the great advantage reserved for the population would be the possibility of buying shares in the company. The City Council unanimously rejected the project. After a few months the Draghi Government passed the infamous rule to facilitate these initiatives with a preferential lane».

Where would you put the systems?

Deretta: «The wind turbines at sea must be invisible, moved at least 35 miles from the coast. We have already expressed our opinion on the plants on land: it is right to use the roofs of municipal buildings and use the industrial areas. The State should invest in contributions to families and companies to use self-produced energy. It would be a real energy transition».

Ragnedda: «Making the towers invisible at sea is the only solution. The panels could instead be placed on industrial warehouses, on roofs and solar slabs of public buildings, in compromised areas such as quarries».

Manca: «Off shore can only be beyond the horizon line. I also say no to macro plants on land: Gallura is not suitable for this type of choice. The issue of real estate redevelopment with the insertion of systems to produce energy is different: hotels have been doing this for twenty years, it makes sense to also support energy communities».

Ruiu: «Speculators come here to make a lot of money: they want to make the Sardinians pay the price, as they will have their environment ruined and nothing in return. The idea of offshore towers off the coast must be rejected without hesitation. The energy transition is right, speculation is stealing our future».

The protection of the environment and landscape follows a double track: imposed in an ironclad manner on citizens, softened by strong exemptions for multinationals. What are the risks?

Deretta: «The citizens do not understand – and neither do we – why the opening of an unforeseen window turns into a criminal trial while the mega plants like the ones we are talking about have very convenient lanes despite the enormous impact».

Ragnedda: «It is a paradoxical upheaval that creates distrust in the people».

Manca: «A trivial example: if an entrepreneur places a beach umbrella or a deck chair half a meter beyond a beach concession, he is liable to criminal prosecution. The beach umbrella moves at the end of the evening, but the wind tower that has benefited from exemptions of all kinds remains where it is».

Ruiu: «Unfortunately the rules only apply to citizens and municipal administrators, this also contributes to the unstoppable electoral abstention».

Andrea Busia

Enrico Fresu

Paul Paolini