1 2 EU Guidance on wind energy development in accordance with the EU nature legislation This document reflects the view of the Commission services and is not of a binding nature. European Commission, October 2010 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged Photo: istockphoto This document has been prepared with the assistance of Ecosystems LTD (part of the N2K Group EEIG) under contract to the European Commission (contract N° 070307/2008/513837/SER/B2). It has also greatly benefitted from discussions with, and information supplied by, experts from Member States and key stakeholder groups, within the framework of an ad hoc group on wind energy and nature conservation. EU Guidance on wind energy development in accordance with the EU nature legislation 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS PURPOSE OF THIS GUIDANCE ....................................................................... p 5 1. WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE EU ............................................. p 7 1.1 Wind energy in Europe – 20 years of sustained growth ...................................... p 7 1.2 The EU Policy Framework for promoting renewable energy sources.................. p 8 1.3 Wind power development: predictions for 2020 and beyond .............................. p 9 1.4 Wind energy development in different Member States ....................................... p 10 1.5 Offshore wind power ........................................................................................... p 11 1.6 Balancing wind farm developments with broader societal needs ....................... p 12 2. THE EU’S POLICY FRAMEWORK AND LEGISLATION ON NATURE AND BIODIVERSITY ....................................................................... p 15 2.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... p 15 2.2 The EU’s commitment to halting biodiversity loss ............................................... p 16 2.3 The Habitats and Birds Directives ...................................................................... p 17 2.3.1 Overall objectives of the Birds and Habitats Directives .............................. p 17 2.3.2 A general system of strict protection for species ....................................... p 17 2.3.3 Habitat protection provisions: the Natura 2000 Network ........................... p 19 2.3.4 Managing and conserving Natura 2000 sites ............................................ p 20 2.3.5 New developments affecting Natura 2000 sites ........................................ p 21 2.3.6 Improving the ecological coherence of the Natura 2000 Network ............. p 22 2.4 The EU nature Directives and wind farm development ...................................... p 22 2.5 The SEA Directive and the EIA Directive ............................................................ p 23 2.5.1 The SEA Directive ..................................................................................... p 23 2.5.2 Environmental Impact Assessment ........................................................... p 23 2.5.3 The relationship between SEA, EIA and Appropriate Assessments.......... p 24 2.6 Relevant international nature and biodiversity Conventions and Agreements ... p 26 3. POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENTS ON NATURE AND WILDLIFE ......................................... p 29 3.1 Positive and negative impacts: the need for a case by case approach .............. p 29 3.2 Identifying potential impacts during different phases of wind farm development. p 31 3.3 An overview of potential impacts ........................................................................ p 31 3.4 Potential impact of wind farms on selected species and habitats ....................... p 32 3.4.1 Potential impact of wind farms on birds ...................................................... p 33 3.4.2 Potential impact of wind farms on bats ....................................................... p 37 3.4.3 Repowering of windfarms ........................................................................... p 39 3.4.4 Potential impacts of wind farms on marine mammals ................................. p 39 3.4.5 Potential impacts of wind farms on rare and vulnerable habitat types ........ p 41 3.5 Distinguishing between significant and insignficant effects ................................. p 42 3.6 Cumulative effects .............................................................................................. p 45 4 EU Guidance on wind energy development in accordance with the EU nature legislation 4. THE IMPORTANCE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING IN WIND FARM DEVELOPMENTS .................................................................... p 47 4.1 Strategic planning: a way to ensure more efficient, integrated decision-making p 47 4.2 Marine spatial planning........................................................................................ p 48 4.3 Determining suitable locations for wind farm developments ............................... p 48 4.3.1 Europe’s wind energy potential................................................................... p 49 4.3.2 Grid connections and road access ............................................................. p 51 4.3.3 Wildlife sensitivity maps.............................................................................. p 52 4.3.4 Wildlife sensitivity maps in context of art 12 (Habitats Directive and Art (Birds Directive) .......................................................................................... p 52 4.3.5 Natura 2000 maps ...................................................................................... p 54 4.4 Examples of strategic wind farm planning in different Member States .............. p 54 5. STEP BY STEP PROCEDURE FOR WIND FARM DEVELOPMENTS AFFECTING NATURA 2000 SITES.................................. p 63 5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... p 63 5.2 Article 6 of the Habitats Directive: a step-by-step approach ................................. p 64 5.3 When is an Appropriate Assessment needed?..................................................... p 67 5.3.1 Gathering sufficient information .................................................................. p 68 5.3.2 Determining if there is a ‘significant effect’ ................................................. p 69 5.3.3 Looking at potential cumulative effects....................................................... p 70 5.3.4 Recording the screening decision............................................................... p 70 5.4. Purpose of Appropriate Assessment .................................................................... p 71 5.5 Steps for Appropriate Assessment of wind farm plans and projects ..................... p 71 5.5.1 Setting the baseline and gathering further information ............................... p 73 5.5.2 Assessing the impacts on the Natura 2000 site.......................................... p 75 5.5.3 Assessing whether there are no adverse effects on site integrity............... p 82 5.5.4 Considering how to mitigate adverse effects on the Natura 2000 site........ p 83 5.5.5 Recording the results of the Appropriate Assessment................................ p 86 5.6 The derogation procedure of Article 6.4 of the Habitats Directive ........................ p 86 5.6.1 The scheme of Article 6.4 ........................................................................... p 86 5.6.2 The absence of alternative solutions .......................................................... p 87 5.6.3 Imperative reasons of overriding public interest IROPI .............................. p 88 5.6.4 The adoption of all necessary compensatory measures ............................ p 90 ANNEXES .............................................................................................................. p 92 Annex I: Recommendations and resolutions adopted by international conventions on the potential impact of wind farms on wildlife and habitats ..................................................p 92 Annex II: Bird species considered to be particularly vulnerable to wind farms...............................p 93 Annex III: Bat behaviour in relation to wind farms..........................................................................p 97 Annex IV: Aquatic species listed in of the ‘Habitats Directive’ and recommended to be especially considered with reference to adverse impact from wind farms .................................. p 99 Annex V: Some examookes of proposed or confirmed impacts of wind farm developments on species and spefic groups of species ......................................................................... p100 Annex VI: European and national guidance documents of relevance for impact assessments with reference to wind farms ..................................................................................... p104 References................................................................................................................................. p109 EU Guidance on wind energy development in accordance with the EU nature legislation 5 PURPOSE OF THIS GUIDANCE Background In December 2008, the EU adopted an ambitious and far-reaching ‘climate change and energy’ package which, amongst others, commits the EU-27 countries to increasing the share of renewable energy to 20% of Europe’s total energy production by 2020. As a clean, renewable source of electricity, wind energy is destined to make