91997E3394

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3394/97 by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission (23 October 1997)

Subject: Wind farms

Can the Commission confirm whether there is any truth in the rumour that there will be no new wind farms created within the EU?

If this is the case, can the Commission comment on why such a decision has been taken?

Answer given by Mr Papoutsis on behalf of the Commission (5 December 1997)

The Commission is unaware of any decision in the Member States to block the construction of wind farms or the development of that form of renewable energy.

Indeed, it has information from specialist circles pointing to a generally optimistic assessment of the prospects for the medium and long-term growth of wind energy within the Community.

The Commission is of the opinion that renewable energy sources, including wind energy, are insufficiently exploited in the Community. The Community provides support for promotion of renewable sources of energy, for instance in the framework of the Altener and Joule-Thermie programmes, but the Commission is convinced that renewable energy represents a significantly under-exploited energy potential. It therefore intends to step up its efforts in this area, in order to meet the indicative objective of doubling the contribution from renewable sources of energy between now and 2010, as outlined in its recent white paper 'Energy for the future: renewable sources of energy - a strategy and action plan'.