The FERA Environment Office is involved in every project from its beginning, taking care to identify and exclude special environmental protection areas (Natura 2000 Network).
Sites are selected subject to Natura 2000, the European Union’s environmental protection network established under Habitat Directive 92/43/EEC, “in order to guarantee long-term preservation of natural habitats and species of threatened or rare flora and fauna at the European Community level” (from the website of the Italian Ministry of the Environment).
Wind assessments are only performed on suitable sites, and are conducted with special software that allows precise and constant measurement. Through such assessments, FERA has identified sites with optimal wind quality for energy production, and the data on installed plants has proved to be fully in line with design phase forecasts.
On developing sites, the FERA Environment Office carries out at least one year of monitoring of avifuana (birds) and chiropterofauna (bats), even if not specifically requested by the Region. Monitoring continues after construction, in order to assess the effective impact of the facilities, particularly on avifuana and chiropterofauna, and includes, among other monitoring activities, search for carcasses. Monitoring results are fundamental in refining the design and definition of the plant layout. If one or more monitoring surveys highlight critical factors (e.g. migratory stops or roosts in the vicinity), the project does not go ahead.
| FERA participates in the National Wind and Wildlife Observatory, established by the National Association of Wind Energy (ANEV) and the Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA). The goal of the observatory is: “To strengthen environmental protection, and, at the same time, promote the development of wind farms within the Italian territory that are attentive to biodiversity conservation” (from the website of ANEV). |
FLORA
Together with monitoring of avifauna, each area is also assessed in terms of flora and vegetation, preparatory work under the environmental rehabilitation plan.