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Wind turbines on Rhodes: myth and truth

Fact check: wind turbines and fires

Author: Tom Wannenmacher

The claim

  1. Over 100 wind turbines are planned in the fire area.
  2. The fires were started to build wind turbines.

Our conclusion

  1. Around 60 wind turbines are planned for Rhodes, most of them in the south, which was hardly affected by the fires.
  2. According to Greek law, it is allowed to build in forest areas. Therefore, intentionally burning forests is unnecessary and pointless

It's not just the forests on Rhodes that are burning - wild speculation is also flaring up online. The picturesque island was recently hit by fires, which, in addition to sad headlines, also raised many questions.

The rumor about the wind turbines on Rhodes continues

Different images and claims were the spark: Apparently over 100 wind turbines were planned in the fire area of ​​Rhodes.

Wind turbines on Rhodes: myth and truth
Screenshots of various claims on the topic: Wind turbines on Rhodes

Postings that went viral and led to a wave of indignation. Speculation even went so far as to accuse people of intentionally setting fires to make way for the wind turbines.

What do the official sources say?

But the Greek Energy Regulatory Authority (RAE) paints a different picture. According to their documentation, only around 60 wind turbines are planned for Rhodes. And the majority of these planned facilities? In the southern part of the island - far from the heart of the fires.

Greece relies on renewable energy

Greek law supports renewable energy and therefore allows the construction of wind turbines in forest areas as long as environmental regulations are met. In the event of forest fires, the affected area is designated for reforestation. So there is no logical reason to deliberately burn forests to build wind turbines.

Refutation of false information

The Greek Wind Energy Association (Eletaen) countered the speculation and emphasized that intentional fires to build wind turbines would be senseless.

Greece's Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, reiterated this statement and described the rumors as ridiculous.

Facts at a glance

  1. Claim : Over 100 wind turbines are planned for the fire area on Rhodes.
    Fact : According to RAE, around 60 wind turbines are planned for Rhodes, mainly in the south of the island.
  2. Claim : The fires may have been started intentionally to make room for wind turbines.
    Fact : Greece's laws allow the construction of wind turbines in forest areas, subject to environmental regulations. Intentionally burning it down would be legally and practically senseless.

Conclusion

As Rhodes licks its wounds and hopes for recovery, it is essential to separate myth from fact. Nature may be temporarily damaged, but the truth stands. In times like these, we need to rely on reliable sources and not get carried away by rumors.

Also read:

Fact check: Why wind turbines stand still despite the wind

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Notes:

1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication
.
The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual articles (not fact checks) were created using machine help and
were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )


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