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renewable energy market, forecasts are even more ambitious accounting for
over 24% market share in the EU.
At a closer look, in spite of the energy-saving challenging targets, energy demand
is still increasing, but supply related to the “Renewables” is far from sustainable.
Such a huge “Energy Rush”, supported all over Europe by an impressive array
of incentives, the so-called “feed-in-tariff” premiums, has caught governments,
local institutions, communities and territories largely unprepared.
Despite the announced “inherent” sustainability of renewable energies, ecosys-
tems are often environmentally compromised, and heritage is confronted with
a high demand for energy crops or with the steadier skylines of wind farms and
photovoltaic plants, along with their facilities (new roads, new power distribu-
tion networks, etc.). Ultimately, the exploitation of the potential of renewable
sources proves to be a big threat to the cultural and natural heritage, especially
in protected areas and habitats rich in biodiversity.
All over Europe, Member States and local governments are confronted with
huge side effects seemingly overlooked by energy policies, notably: the role of
incentive bonuses and benefits; competition between land uses due to the re-
duction of agricultural land; the promotion of “technological” economies local-
ly based; the opening to “extra-local” actors; the management of the life cycle
of the plants, especially the dismantling costs, etc.
So far, both inadequacy in landscape protection measures against market-driven
behaviours and weak connections between energy programming and territorial
planning policies show at what extent landscape stands out as a major stake
in the conflicts between different values and uses. Still, some actions could be
developed in the short term, especially as for technical and management tools,
notably: a better clarification within legislative requirements as for the develop-
ment of small plants at the expense of large installations; environmental impact
reduction and compensatory measures supported by 3D rendering tools, etc.
