Defense's wish for more low-flying areas clashing with sustainability plans
The Ministry of Defense wants more low-flying areas to practice with its Apache helicopters due to the deteriorating security situation in the world. But in some cases, that desire clashes with the government’s desire to build more wind farms and increase sustainable energy production so that the Netherlands is less dependent on autocratic regimes for oil and gas, NOS reports after researching the matter with regional broadcasters.
Wind turbines on land are by far the cheapest method of generating sustainable energy. But wind farms don’t mix well with low-flying areas for training soldiers on operating the military helicopters due to the risk of accidents, Colonel Jos van der Leij of the Royal Netherlands Air Force told NOS. “A single wind turbine in itself is not a problem; you can get around it,” he said. “But a wind farm with a lot of wind turbines is unsuitable and unsafe for low flying.”
Defense is looking for additional low-flying areas in Zeeland, Noord-Brabant, and part of the river area below Utrecht. It also wants a large low-flying area over the southeastern edge of the Veluwe and almost the entire Achterhoek. The latter is definitely at odds with wind farm plans in the region, according to the broadcasters.
The energy transition and national security are both of national importance, Colonel van der Leij acknowledged. But in areas where the two forms of space use can’t go together, the government will have to choose between security and sustainability.
The national government interfering with the construction of wind farms would be remarkable as it gave that responsibility to the local authorities. Though Defense has to give a declaration of no objection to plans for constructing large wind farms, according to NOS.
