The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedure has begun for the 1300MW Odra Energia, the floating offshore wind project partners Renantis and BlueFloat Energy plan to develop off the southern coast of the province of Lecce, Italy.
After a year-long study and research phase, the EIA was submitted to the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (Mase), and the Ministry of Culture (MiC). The study comprises a set of documents detailing the intended project hypothesis, and this will be published for public consultation in the coming weeks said Bluefloat.
This is another important milestone in the authorisation process that began 2021, representing an integral part of the ongoing collaboration with stakeholders the developer added.
In 2021, the partnership began a voluntary environmental scoping process, opening the project to the observations of local authorities, associations, and other local, regional, and national stakeholders. This has facilitated closer alignment with the expectations of the local communities and has resulted in several project adjustments, such as a 30% increase in the distance of the proposed site from the coast, and a reduction in the number of turbines in the first rows.
The project proposes 90 floating wind turbines for an expected production of about 4 TWh/year . This is equivalent to the consumption of more than one million Italian households. The overall investment in project construction and development is estimated at more than €4bn.
“The months leading up to the finalisation of the EIA made it possible for us to optimise the project through the dedicated environmental and engineering campaigns that we conducted, both onshore and in the open sea,” said Renantis-BlueFloat Energy Partnership genral manager Ksenia Balanda.
“The result is a project that is technically feasible and optimal, while being environmentally sustainable and contributing to the local economy growth.
“To successfully achieve first production by the end of the decade, we will continue to refine the design, construction, and operation plans for this wind farm, ensuring that we deliver the best project possible.
“We will maintain our local focus, prioritising the involvement of local resources and skills, and continuing conversations with both local institutions and communities.
It is thanks to these interactions that we were able to optimise the project, and this collaboration is important to us, leading to a strong and long-term partnership between the wind farm and the territory of Lower Salento that hosts us”.