BLOCK THE INSTALLATION OF PHOTOVOLTAICS ON AGRICULTURAL LAND, THROUGH A LAW PROPOSAL - Filenews 26/3
The Plenary Session of the Parliament unanimously approved a bill by MPs Giannakis Gavriil, Andreas Pasiourtidis and Valentinos Fakontis, on behalf of the AKEL-Left-New Forces parliamentary group, which amends the current law, in order to prohibit the installation of renewable energy systems for commercial purposes within agricultural land, without affecting the possibility of installing photovoltaic systems for the benefit of the agricultural and livestock sector.
Amendments were also voted upon by agreement of all parties to remove the word productive land from the text. Also, a bill was passed by Michalis Giakoumis, DIKO MP, for proper regulation on the issues of management of excess energy for the benefit of citizens in a fair and correct way in compensation.
In particular, the proposal from AKEL provides for a ban on the installation of RES installations for commercial purposes within agricultural land which, after examination by the Department of Agriculture, appears to be land of high natural value, fertile or permanently irrigated land, land which falls within irrigated or dry land consolidation or in an area irrigated by a government project or land which is within a special protection zone.
Following suggestions, concerns and concerns from stakeholders and state services, modifications were made so that the land of high natural value has been mapped by the Department of Environment.
Also, fertile, permanently irrigated land should be characterized as such after examination by the Department of Agriculture, and it should be land that falls within mixed and not only within irrigated or dry land consolidation and land that is within an urban protection zone as defined in the development plans prepared under the Urban Planning and Spatial Planning Law.
It also concerns land which is located within the area of the "Natura 2000" network as defined in the Protection and Management of Nature and Wildlife Law or in a special protection zone as defined in the Protection and Management of Wild Birds and Game Law.
One of the rapporteurs of the bill, Giannakis Gabriel, said during the debate in the Plenary that an attempt is being made to regulate a problem of uncontrolled use of fertile agricultural land, a problem that everyone recognizes and agrees that this land should be given to the primary sector.
He said that the government has also admitted the problem, but there are still "loopholes". Mr. Gabriel explained that no restriction is placed on self-production for the benefit of farmers and livestock breeders.
Christos Orphanides of DIKO said that the proposal is in the right direction to put proper restrictions and not a disorderly installation.
Today, he said, we have a production of 450 megawatts of purely agricultural land based on permits, adding that there are problems due to management in storage issues, also talking about oligopolies.
Linos Papagiannis, an ELAM MP, said that the proposal is in the right direction, that we were late as a state to put bans and what is said about spatial planning is in words and not in deeds.
Michalis Giakoumis, DIKO MP, said that emphasis should be placed on PVs to be installed on roofs, in private parking lots and not on agricultural land.
Charalambos Pazaros, DISY MP, said that it is incomprehensible to grant permits for installations on fertile agricultural land that has productivity and this has consequences. He called for installation in barren areas, on roofs and in parking lots.
Independent MP Alexandra Attalidou said that agricultural land is important for our food security and criticized the fact that an uncontrollable situation has been created and we are now running to correct the wrongs.
Kostas Costa, AKEL MP, said that with so much sunshine we manage to have surplus energy in the winter that goes to waste and in the summer to make cuts. He also mentioned that problems are being created because we have both net metering and net billing and that the issue will be closed if we take the storage aspect seriously.
CNA
