Wind Farm Proliferation in Greece Taking Toll on Tourism?
In the last decade, the Greek government has heavily endorsed the installation of thousands of wind turbines across the country aiming to bolster renewable energy capacity and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
While the need for greener energy is indisputable, the decision to install industrial size wind farms, especially in pristine areas like the Peloponnese, is drawing criticism for the impact on natural habitats, local way of life, and tourism.
Greece’s Green Energy Expansion
Driven by EU ‘green’ milestones, Greece was one of eight EU countries last year to meet at least 20% of electricity demand via wind projects, according to WindEurope.Org. At the same time, the current grid is at limited capacity.
“We have practically doubled our capacity for wind and solar energy… We’re fourth in the world, if you include smaller countries that mostly import electricity. Second in the world, if you do not,” said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis last May. The aim, he said, is for Greece to become a key net electricity exporter. This growth in renewables creates “significant opportunity”.
Local communities, however, often not informed of the consequences or involved in the decisions as is standard practice in other countries, beg to differ.
Tourism Industry Speaks Out
In addition to the dozens of environmental and wildlife protection groups protesting, now come local tourism bodies. The latest actions come from the Peloponnese, where plans are underway for the installation of at least 71 wind turbines, some reaching 180 meters in height, on the unspoiled mountains of Mainalon, Parnonas, Artemisio, and Tsemberou, large parts of which are protected under the EU’s Natura program.
It is reminded that in 2022, the Greek Environment Ministry introduced the “Apatita Vouna” law which secured “high protection status” for six mountains, among them Mt Mainalon, and banned development projects, including the installation of massive wind farms. Unfortunately, the law applies only to small areas of these mountains.
The Peloponnese, and particularly the lesser developed Arcadia region, are among Greece’s slow tourism destinations that rely heavily on their natural beauty to attract visitors. As a follow up to my previous report on wind farms published in 2021, I spoke with Peloponnese Tourism Organization President Konstantinos Marinakos about the potential impact of these projects on tourism.
Impact on Local Way of Life
“No one disputes that wind power is an alternative source of renewable energy. What is being strongly contested is the choice of large-scale wind turbines and their placement, especially in mountainous areas. Local communities and residents are reacting en masse not only for reasons related to the impact on the natural environment and biodiversity, but mainly for the brutal alteration of the landscape as they have known and experienced it,” Marinakos explains.
“The landscape is an integral part of locals’ identity and way of life and this is now being threatened,” he says. “On top of that, the large-scale wind farms designed for the Mainalon area are in direct view to a number of traditional villages, including Stemnitsa and Chrysovitsi, which are popular tourist destinations and protected by EU and national programs.
Many of these villages or settlements are designated Landscapes of Particular Natural Beauty, on the CORINE-Biotopes Network, or designated by the Environment Ministry as Preserved Settlements /Preserved Buildings, Historic Places, or Traditional Settlements (Government Gazette 908/4/13.11.1998)
“The need for more RES does not mean uncontrolled placement. The environment ministry has repeatedly faced harsh criticism for allowing, subject to conditions, wind farms in forests and national parks, as well as in Natura 2000 areas,” Marinakos says.
Spatial Planning Framework Urgent
For Arcadia, which is a popular destination for nature lovers and hikers, the decision to install more wind farms on the surrounding mountains will be devastating, say local tourism stakeholders.
In addition to scarring virgin forests and their ecosystems with massive road openings for the transport of the gigantic wind turbines, Marinakos, who is also vice president of the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation, refers to the degradation of the visual environment and the noise.
On top of that, the area is home to the Menalon Trail, Greece’s first hiking trail certified by the European Hiking Federation, which represents some 3 million hikers.
“We’re not against renewable energy units but not everywhere,” Menalon Trail founder and Stemnitsa resident Ioannnis Lagos tells me. “A well-defined spatial plan and legal framework that will designate specific locations for wind farm placement and a strict cap is a must.”
Mt Mainalon is a productive mountain, he explains, and the multi-awarded Menalon Trail also brings thousands of visitors to the region, promoting alternative forms of tourism such as hiking, rafting, birdwatching; it creates jobs and supports local businesses. For these reasons, Arcadia is a case study in Europe for its successful soft tourism model, he adds.
“The installation of more wind turbines in a forested region that has been energy sufficient since the 1950s and all this while the EU is warning that Greece will soon face desertification is mad and should stop,” says Lagos.
Additionally, Marinakos goes on to add that the production of wind energy is subject to all the provisions of national and EU legislation on the obligations of companies regarding the restoration of the site where they are installed and the management of the materials remaining after their operation.
“Current energy legislation and the RES zoning framework contains additional provisions to ensure these obligations are met. These are also incorporated in the conditions of the environmental license granted.”
He explains that once operation of a wind farm ceases, contractors are responsible for the wind turbine disassembly, off-site disposal and site restoration. The materials of old wind turbines must be recycled or managed by specialized companies accredited for this purpose in accordance with current legislation. They must also cover the costs.
Too Soon to Know Effects
An attempt to find data on the potential damage of wind farms on tourism for this report proved futile as it is too soon for data collection, experts tell me. According to Marinakos, data analyzed so far confirms that industrial-scale wind farms pose a direct threat to natural ecosystems, alter the natural, rural and residential landscape, and impact the authenticity and uniqueness or the identity/brand of destinations.
“More wind farms, especially in the Peloponnese, will result in the depreciation of the tourism product, impact the local economy, endanger existing investments, threaten employment, and undermine the current sustainable tourism development strategy,” he concludes.
Going Offshore Too
Ironically, although Greece is still failing to address more pressing issues such as recycling and waste management — in 2022, the country faced a steep fine for failing to accelerate plastic recycling projects — it has surpassed many EU members in wind power development.
Unlike other ‘green’ projects, RES investments are covered under the government’s fast-track policy. According to the state-owned Hellenic Hydrocarbons and Energy Resources Management Company, Greece is now aiming to deliver at least 2 GW of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030.
Greece has yet to tap into its “most promising resource”, said Mitsotakis in May, “offshore wind… primarily in the Aegean Sea”.
