Even if dismantling wind turbines and restoring the natural surroundings is a task to be undertaken in the distant future, these are important topics and should be considered early on in the planning phase.
The operator, or the wind power company, always has the responsibility to fulfill the stipulated laws and regulations. It is up to the inspection and licensing authorities to ensure that the environmental permit complies with the laws and stipulations that govern the development of offshore wind power.
During the inspection and the licensing procedure, conditions and principles may burden the operator of the wind park. The inspection authority may set additional requirements on the operator even after operations have been concluded, for example regarding the state of the environment.
Since no environmental licenses have as of yet been provided, it is too early to say which exact requirements will concern the wind parks north of Åland once they start operations.
When the parks will be dismantled in the distant future, on Åland it is up to the Government of Åland and the environmental authority ÅMHM to ensure that the best available technology and methods are used. It should be kept in mind that the foundation of the wind park will stand in place for many years. If the foundation has over the years developed into a so-called artificial reef environment, it may be more profitable for biodiversity to leave these structures on the seabed as valuable for marine life, while structures that hinder free movement are dismantled.
We at Ilmatar are used to following the whole life span of the parks we construct, from planning to dismantling, and we are also an independent energy producer for the Finnish electricity market.
When it comes to recycling material from wind parks, we are proud of our collaboration with Stena Recycling, which allows us to reuse as much of the material as possible. The rising prices and increasing shortage of raw and virgin materials prompts companies to take responsibility for all available resources along the entire process. It’s just business smarts to think circular.