SEA Guidance Annex 23

The Netherlands: Onshore wind development supported by SEA, an example of tiering

This annex presents a real-world example from the Netherlands, where SEA supported national spatial policy and national wind policy to guide large-scale onshore wind development. Through a structured tiered approach, the SEA analyzed promising areas, evaluated alternatives, assessed sensitivity to other developments, and ultimately designated specific locations for wind energy.

overview

What’s Inside This Annex

National Spatial & Wind Policy

National spatial policy: In 2011, the Dutch government adopted a national policy for infrastructure and spatial development indicating targets for renewable energy.

National wind policy (on land): Subsequently, the Dutch Government developed a specific policy for wind energy, for which also an SEA was done.

Key Issues/Methods

In this SEA, potential locations for wind energy were further delineated within the selected “promising areas” (see Map A in Annex 23 PDF), and three alternatives were compared (maximum energy yield, nature protection, and landscape protection) on their impacts and attaining national goals and targets for wind energy. Also, a sensitivity analysis was carried out for each location, focusing on potential influence from other policies and (spatial) developments in the area (such as a new airport) (see Map B in Annex 23 PDF).

Eventually, specific locations were designated for large-scale wind energy development (see Map C in Annex 23 PDF), justified by the results of the SEA (November 2013).

Stakeholder Engagement

In both SEAs mentioned here, stakeholders and the public were consulted. In the final policy document, all stakeholder comments were presented in an Annex, with a response from the government whether and how these comments influenced the SEA or the policy.

To follow up on stakeholders’ calls for ensuring solid community engagement in and financial benefit from wind energy projects, the government promised to investigate whether and how a (financial) participation plan (for projects larger than 15 MW) could be made legally binding and part of permitting conditions. Also, a code of conduct has been developed for the organization of stakeholder acceptance (IPO/VNG).

Influence

These SEAs resulted in designated areas where large-scale wind farms can be developed that are supported by a majority of the stakeholders, to a large extent due to the introduction of the benefit sharing mechanism. The SEA also helped define criteria and conditions for developing wind energy projects (>100 MW) and specific points of attention at each location that should be quantitatively analyzed and mitigated.

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SEA Guidance Annex 23