GREEKS CONTEND WITH AEOLUS

Greeks: Remember your mythology. When Odysseus used the winds Aeolus gave him as a source of energy, he sailed near home. But when his unruly crew let the winds loose, disaster followed.
Public skepticism over wind energy
Tasoula Taraiskaki, August 21, 2007 (Kathimerini)

WHO
Greek Island activists and local groups, the Greek central government

WHAT
Cities, unions, environmental organizations and citizens groups oppose wind energy development in the Greek Islands proposed by the Greek government.

Greek wind energy installations: blue & white are operating; orange are under construction. (click to enlarge)

WHEN
2010 EU goal for Greece: 3,500 megawatts of wind energy (presently: Greece – 750 megawatts, Spain – 11,615 megawatts, Germany – 20,622 megawatts)

WHERE
The islands of Ptolemaida and Megalopolis have suffered pollution from lignite mining and burning for decades.

WHY
- Licenses have been issued in Greece for 6000 megawatts of new wind energy capacity and investors are enthusiastic. The government and the Public Power Corporation (PPC) have put incentives and subsidies in place though zoning and transmission issues remain.
- Protestors oppose new roads to install and service wind farms despite having ignored unpermitted construction and the development of tourism roads and infrastructure.
- Greek mainland deforestation, construction, dumping and pollution has been tolerated.
Island antennas and other towers are accepted.
- New coal-fired power plants are planned for the Greek mainland without oppostion.





QUOTES
- Article: “Faced with the choice between “dirty” energy and wind generators, [the local and environmental groups] evidently prefer the former, with their polluting oil-driven power stations that draw heavily on already dwindling natural resources.”
- Article: “The reactions we have seen from local communities could have been avoided with better planning, public awareness campaigns and negotiations with residents. But in Greece we always seem to neglect such basic precautions.”