Wind invasion in the Marmilla, the Ministry's criticism: «The green light would be an ok for the destruction of the landscape»

And there are four. The Special Superintendency for the Pnrr, a body of the Ministry of Culture called to express its opinion on the projects for installing renewable energy systems deposited in the offices of the Ecological Transition, nixes the fourth wind farm proposed for the Marmilla.

This time the rejection goes to the "Collinas" plan of Sorgenia Renewables Srl, which would like to install 8 towers "with a height of up to 125 meters and a rotor diameter of up to 170". A negative – and highly argued – opinion had been received for other projects in the same area: Luminu (proposed by Grv Wind Sardegna Srl in the municipalities of Barumini, Escolca, Gergei, Las Plassas, Villanovafranca, Genoni, Gesturi, Nuragus), Marmilla (proposed by Milanese company Engie Trexenta Srl in the municipalities of Sardara, Villanovaforru, Sanluri and Furtei), and “Serras” (of the Turin company Asja Serra Srl in Sardara, Villanovaforru, Sanluri and Lunamatrona).

The arguments of the Special Superintendent, Luigi La Rocca, seem to be modeled on the positions of the local committees that oppose the wind invasion of Sardinia. But they have greater weight, given that yours is an opinion that affects the outcome of the (possible) authorization procedure .

Beyond the limit

On a general level, the Superintendence writes: « In Sardinia, a comprehensive action is underway for the construction of new plants from renewable sources (photovoltaic/agrivoltaic, onshore and offshore wind energy) such that it already exceeds by 7 times the objective set by be reached by 2030 on the basis of the FF55, so much so that the substantial replacement of the cultural heritage and landscape with industrial-sized plants for the production of electricity beyond the expected regional needs is envisaged" . In short: Europe's demands are abundantly satisfied, speculation is underway.

Varicella of renewables

Among the documents there is also a map of Sardinia: each dot corresponds to a proposed system. The island would have the chickenpox of renewables. So much so that the Superintendence itself writes that «the global cumulative impact would have no equal if all» the plants were «built, demonstrating how planning regarding renewable energy plants is in no way adequate to reconcile the multiple presence of plants in the area and the related saturation load for the protection of the cultural heritage and landscape".

Risk of landscape devastation

Going into detail, we read that « the plant in question», i.e. the one designed for Collinas, «is positioned as a foreign element of an industrial nature, whose structures are excessively high (equal to 210 m) compared to any other natural and anthropic element existing in the same area, constitute a fragmentation of the existing landscape, given the demonstrated intervisibility of the same single plant examined here from long distances".

If the blades were built, then, the consequence would be the «automatic classification of all the natural and agricultural areas surrounding the individual wind turbines, for 500 metres, as “suitable areas” ex lege for the installation of renewable energy systems, so as to constitute for the same ministry the legitimation for the transformation/destruction of the same natural/agricultural landscape through its total transformation into an industrial landscape". A devastating ripple effect would be unleashed.

Archeology and fires

The special control body also recalls the opinion of the Region according to which the shovels " would lead to damage to the historical-identifying elements of the landscape", dotted with nuraghes and archaeological sites (at 750 meters there is the Genna Maria nuraghe) and " an irreparable damage to one's environment and damage to one's prevailing agricultural vocation". Not only that: those 210 meter high towers would be a dangerous obstacle for the flight of fire-fighting aircraft and the proposing company would have underestimated the problem, even if fire in that area, unfortunately, is not uncommon.

For these (and other, various) reasons the Special Superintendency "expresses a negative preliminary technical opinion on the environmental compatibility ruling".

The legal intervention group

«Other than the vain ethnic substitution of Lollobrigidiana memory, here we are at the real landscape and cultural substitution, the economic-social substitution, the identity substitution»: this is the comment of Stefano Deliperi, of the Legal Intervention Group, after having read the papers and the ministerial opinion. The ecological association is on the front line against energy speculation and files comments on almost every procedure. Not a preconceived position against renewables, obviously: «We reiterate our proposal once again», underlines Deliperi, «it would be a very different thing if it were the State that planned the areas at sea and on land where to install the plants based on real energy needs wind and photovoltaic plants and, after involving Regions and local authorities and carrying out strategic environmental assessment procedures   (Vas), would put the sites out to tender to the best bidder for the construction, management and removal at the end of the life cycle of the energy production plants"