Brno - Inhabitants of Loučná pod Klínovcem don't like the idea of having three wind farms located in sight of their houses.
However, the Supreme Court declined their appeal and approved the original decision of the Ústí nad Labem region to build the facilities.
Wind farms in Loučná pod Klínovcem are to be built by the Green Lines company and are expected to produce 1.8 megawatts of electric power.
This is not the first controversial wind energy project in the Ore Mountains region.
Noise and protected species
Meluzína civic association was founded in order to lobby in these matters. Ecologists also warn there are protected grouses and orioles living in the area.
In 1997, municipality representatives agreed to building three windmills in Loučná nad Klínovcem.
However, the windmills were built larger than expected, with German Environment Ministry financially contributing to the project. Soon, inhabitants of the municipality began to be disturbed by the noise produced by the windmills.
"We want to make the windmills reduce their activity," assured Mayor Rostislav Velek.
However, after the regional authorities approved the building of even larger windmills, the municipality together with civil associations appealed to the court.
The court ruled that the region did not violate the law.
Wind energy boom
The Ore Mountains are one of the most lucrative regions for investors in the Czech Republic. One of proposed projects is to build windmills on the Klínovec Mountain.
Experts say that 320-340 windmills are to be built in the Ore Mountains. Of course, the region is not the only Czech zone where new wind energy facilities are to emerge.
The total wattage of Czech windmills is expected to grow eightfold before 2012.
By that time, the total wattage of Czech wind energy facilities should equal 1,000 megawatts. Currently, it is mere 133 megawatts.
However, these estimates are based on modest expectations. Investment plans count onh a more robust build-up.
