Wind turbines: Greece extends exclusion zones to better protect its territories

The Greek government has adopted a new framework to better regulate the development of renewable energy facilities. The framework notably expands the areas where wind turbines will no longer be permitted and introduces specific rules for the most sensitive regions.

"This new framework introduces stricter restrictions and expands exclusion zones, with a particular focus on protecting Greece's natural and cultural heritage, landscapes and local communities, while creating a more modern and coherent framework for the country's energy transition up to 2050," said the Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy.

Restrictions around sensitive sites

The document, signed by the Greek Minister of Environment and Energy, Stavros Papastavrou, extends the exclusion zones for wind turbines to historical sites, listed or protected ancient monuments, areas containing water sources intended for human consumption, and pristine beaches.

The installation of wind turbines and solar panels is also prohibited in the Athens region, in Attica, and in the greater Thessaloniki area, the country's second-largest city. The minister emphasized that these two areas were particularly hard hit by forest fires.

The Greek islands will be subject to specific regulations, including a specific landscape assessment. The maximum permitted area for wind farms remains set at 4% of each municipality's territory, with possible exceptions where the wind potential is considered particularly high.

Reconciling energy transition and landscape protection

According to Stavros Papastavrou, this new framework should promote "development based on planning, effective environmental protection, and clear rules for all." The minister also reiterated the strategic objective "of producing more Greek energy from our major assets: the sun and the wind."

Greece has significantly developed its solar and wind energy sectors in recent years to comply with the European Union's climate and energy objectives. According to Eurostat data cited in the press release, the share of renewable energy in Greek electricity production was slightly above 50% in 2024.

Growing opposition to wind power projects

The rapid development of wind farms, supported in particular by European funding, has been generating increasing opposition in some regions for several years. Critics denounce what they consider insufficiently controlled development, its effects on landscapes and agricultural land, as well as the risks of speculation and damage to natural areas.

Some opponents also accuse wind farms of causing or contributing to agroforestry fires. These accusations fuel the controversy, but do not, on their own, establish a general causal link between wind farms and forest fires.

Two weeks before the announcement of this new framework, Greek authorities placed three people, including a mayor, in pretrial detention following a fire that destroyed more than 10.000 hectares west of Athens. According to reports, the fire was linked to a faulty electrical network associated with a wind farm, the operation of which was subsequently suspended.