12 Wind Energy Malta ARiolo

8/13/2019 12 Wind Energy Malta ARiolo

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Establishing environmentally compatible wind energy

potential in Europe- Malta Case Study-

fo r: Malta Resources Authority

by: Antoine Riolo

Chief Executive Off icer

9th November 2006


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Introduction

Large scale wind is by far the only RES

technology that can make a significant impact to

the Maltese energy economy, followed by

energy from waste.

Incentives to adopt RES are:Diversification of our fuel mix;

Environmental improvement on the local scale and a

moral contribution to international efforts.

Conditions are very difficult, both for onshoreand offshore wind exploitation.


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To outline the work carried out in Malta todetermine onshore and offshore wind potential

on an island specific basis;

To consider the applicability to Malta as a small

island state of the proposed EEA methodology

for estimating wind energy potential.

Objectives of the Presentation


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Population density of Malta

Malta - 1,261 inhabitants / km2

EU Average - 115 inhabitants / km2

Next highest (Netherlands) - 395 inhabitants / km2

Also relevant to wind-energy potential is the relative

disproportionate size and impact of certain national critical

infrastructure, more so in view of Maltas strategic position e.g.

2 major harbours including a major transhipment terminal;

an international airport;

communications facilities.

Other important characteristics


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Large scale wind

Onshore wind

potential and possibilities


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A bottom up approach

Mapping unconstrained potential onshore sites (1)


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Mapping unconstrained potential onshore sites (2)

Unconstrained wind potential defined as unconstrained availability

of wind resource combined with unconstrained sites, e.g. wind and

areas of exposed ground for wind generation


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Constrained wind potential issues considered with respect to each

specified site:

Lack of access:

serious barriers in Qasam San Gorg, Gozo.

Airport interference analysis:

excludes Hal Far Airfield and Gebel Ciantar;

Ghemieri and Wardija Ridge highly compromised;

possible impacts at Bajda Ridge, Marfa Ridge, Ta Hammud and Qasam San Gorg;

Ecology and landscape Impacts:

Least compromised sites: Ta Hammud, Marfa Ridge, Bajda Ridge

Maximum capacity at sites likely to be reduced by planning constraints, ecological value

and landscape sensitivity;

Bajda Ridge limited by bird sanctuaries;

Marfa Ridge surrounded by various grades of designated landscape.

Visual Impacts:

In view of characteristics of Maltese landscape and scale of developmentvisual impacts

can be significant and likely to limit number of windfarms.


Wind resource characterisation


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Areas of zero potential include:

Surface water bodies;

Infrastructures (roads);

Touristic sites;

Military areas;

Woodland/ forests;

Water bodies;

Natura 2000 sites;

Important bird areas.

Other areas to consider as discuss:airport plus buffer;

urban areas plus their buffer.

Mapping areas of zero potential


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Areas of zero potential: Aviation

Buffer zone around airport

proposed at minimum of 4km from the aerodrome reference point

Based on wind turbine size of 1 MW/ (Hub height = 60m; Total height =

90m);

Based on ICAO requirements for physical obstacle limitation namely those

included with ICAO Annex 14 Vol 1: AerodromesChapter 4 (Obstacle

Control and Removal);

Potential effects on aerodrome and/or navigation instrumentation and radarcoverage;

Buffer of 2.5 km proposed by EEA is not considered sufficient;

Impact on total area of the country is as on the table below. Of course

other considerations overlap.

Areakm2

% of total area of MaltaAirport 3.79 1.2 %

Airport + 2.5 km buffer 50.74 16.1 %

Airport + 4 km buffer 85.36 27.0 %


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Urban Areas

The potential is considered in terms of the urban area plus a buffer for visibility;

The width of the buffer is conditioned by visibility;

Note re visibility constraints in Malta: The Maltese archipelago is very small- area 316 km2.

Best sites in terms of wind speeds and elevations are located in sensitive

landscape areas. The landscape is open with little tree cover affording long distance views.

Skyline dominated by the copulas of churches and historic buildings. Tallest

building rises some 70m from the ground and may be seen from any

panoramic location within Malta and from high points in Gozo.

Weather in Malta characterised by high number of days with very good

visibility and very good natural light.

A combination of all these factors suggests that large onshore wind farm

development likely to have a significant visual impact and likely to be

prominent from a large number of areas.


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Characteristics of urban areas in Malta

Areakm2 % of total area of Malta

Estimated urban area 73.6 23.3 %

Estimated urban area + 1 km buffer 254.8 80.6 %

Estimated urban area + 2 km buffer 302.6 95.8 %

Estimated urban area + 3 km buffer (2) 313.9 99.3 %

Notes:

(1) Urban areas includes green urban areas (0.5%), urban fabric (22.2%),sports and leisure facilities (0.6%);

(2) From the remainder - 1.4 km2equivalent to 0.4 % of the total area is part of

Comino an environmentally sensitive area.


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Visual impacts

Taking into account research undertaken by Scottish Executive in

the UK on the effect of distance on the perception of wind energydevelopments in open landscape:

Up to 2 km: likely to be prominent feature;

2 - 5 km: relatively prominent;

515 km: only prominent in clear visibilityseen as part of wider

landscape;

1530 km: only seen in clear visibilitya minor element in the landscape;

(Source Planning Advice Note (PAN ) 45Renewable Energy Technologies)

Buffer zone around urban areas proposed at minimum of 2km.

With no large-scale exploitation considering the high populationdensity and size of island, taken together


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Other issues

For completeness, other issues are:

Industrial areas Industrial areas are generally located on the peripheral or part of urban

areas. Since these are an extension of main urban areas, and in view of

limited land availability in Malta within such areas, they are included with

urban areas.

Touristic sites:

A minimum 2000 m buffer zone for touristic areas should be considered asfor urban areas due to visibility considerations.

Mining sites: Extraction of minerals is carried out by open pit quarrying. Due to physical

limitations it is highly unlikely that such quarries (with the exception of

shallow disused quarries) offer suitable potential for siting windfarm

development.

Dump sites: Disused dump sites offer limited scope for hosting wind development in

view of visibility issues as well as physical limitation including structural

integrity considerations of the sites.


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Other concerns and issues

Agriculturearable land, fruit tress, olive trees, vineyards Due to high competing pressures for available land resources agricultural

land is of strategic value. Thus feasible average % of maximum potential

may be significantly less in such circumstances.

Forests: Woodland have a strategic and significant environmental value and would

similarly pose serious constraints (0%) to wind development.

Semi natural grassland: Garigue, phyragana, Mediterranean xeric areas and grasslands are very

rich species in a Maltese context are protected under the Habitats

Directive. The wind energy potential is highly dependent on the habitat

type and species richness of the particular locality.

Important bird areas: Depends on the type of birds involved for ex. lighting and noise associated

with wind turbines may affect seabirds in coastal important bird areas.

M i f t ti l t ki i t t l l i l


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Mapping of potential areas taking into account local visual

(2km buffer around urban areas)and aviation concerns (4km buffer)


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Integrating potential sites and all constraints


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Large scale wind

Offshore wind

potential, possibilities andconstraints


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Offshore wind (near shore)

Given the constraints hindering onshore wind development, the

Government decided to investigate the potential of off-shore wind.

Current proven offshore technology is limited to 30 meters depth.

This contour in Maltese waters lies within a 4-km coastal band and

most of it lies very close to the shoreline.

This makes this type of development difficult.

Economic constraints : tourism, bunkering activities, inland maritime

traffic;

Infrastructural constraints: approaches to harbours, airport, interference

with radar and communications;

Environmental constraints: reefs, bird rafting, posedonia beds.

It was therefore decided to investigate the possibilities offered bydeepwater off-shore wind.

This presupposes connection to the European electricity network,

which is a parallel project.


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Bathymetry of Malta


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Call for EOI for Offshore Windfarm Development

Detailed assessment carried out in preparation for a Call for EOI

for offshore windfarm development within Maltese territorial

waters;

Extensive consultation carried out with key Government entities

and authorities:

Aviation: Department of Civil Aviation, Malta International Airport,

Malta Air Traffic Services Ltd.;

Maritime: Malta Maritime Authority;

Environment: Malta Environment & Planning Authority;

Tourism: Malta Tourism Authority;

Fisheries: Fisheries Conservation and Control Division;

Military: Armed Forces of Malta;

Communications: Malta Communications Authority.


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Categorisation of Offshore areas

3 categories of zones/areas identified:

No Go areas; Sensitive zones;

Other areas.

No Go areas established in view of the unacceptable impacts or

risks associated included: the harbour approaches and shipping lanes including areas of heavy

maritime traffic, waiting areas identified as important for coastal navigation

and the Gozo Channel;

approaches to airport runways and areas identified as posing

unacceptable impact on aviation or radar operations;

marine protection areas, nature reserves (area in the vicinity of Filfla),

areas of environmental significance(selected areas where seabed is

colonised byposidonia oceanicameadows); areas marked for military purposes including firing practices areas or those

previously used as explosives dumping grounds;

areas identified as important from a tourism perspective e.g. diving sites,

wrecks etc. Includes Sikka l-Bajda and an area around the coast and

extending up to 3 km seawards.


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Sensitive Zones (1)

Areas identified as being potentially restricted to windfarm

development in view of serious conflicts with important key

economic activities or due to possible adverse negative impacts

arising from any such development.

The level of such impacts and risks would have to be determined

at an early stage and included:

areas identified by the Civil Aviation Department as potentially

affecting the performance of VOR coverage.

areas identified by the Malta Maritime Authority as posing possible

unacceptable impacts on navigation, bunkering or other related

activities.

areas which if developed may result in other unacceptable impacts

or such as impacts on tourist-related activities.


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Areas identified by MEPA as important from an environmental

perspective (e.g. rafting zones for particular protected bird

species; maerl beds and other ecological concerns; submerged

wrecks and archaeological features; visual concern and

landscape value.

Areas identified by the Malta Communications Authority aspossibly posing unacceptable impacts on telecommunications.

the areas (130 sites) established as dolphin fish distribution in

accordance with EU Council Regulation 813/2004 and areas

established as trawlable areas around the Maltese coast,

aquaculture installations.

Sensitive Zones (2)


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Other Areas

Other areas which were not included in the no go areas or

the sensitive areas were pr ima facieconsidered as areaswhich are available for offshore wind development subject to

normal environmental impact assessment and other studies

in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment

Regulations.


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Stakeholder specific no go and sensitive areas -


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Aviation(1)(Total WTG height = 144 m)



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Aviation(2) - (Total WTG height = 183 m)



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Maritime navigation, bunkering & related activities



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Fishing



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Stakeholder specific no go and sensitive areas

Environment



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Tourism


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Military


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Thank you for your attention

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12 Wind Energy Malta ARiolo