Hannes Snellman’s Report to Ministry of Environment on Wind Farm Dismantling Obligations

As the wind energy sector is booming in Finland, it is important to consider the environmental and legal implications of end-of-life wind turbines. How should the wind farm operators deal with the dismantling and waste management of the turbines and their foundations when they reach the end of their lifespan? What are the current legal obligations and how are they enforced? These are some of the questions that our lawyers Klaus Metsä-Simola and Minna Juhola addressed in a report to the Ministry of the Environment, which was published on Monday 6 November 2023.

The report was prepared as part of the Ministry's work to implement the new Government Programme of Finland, which requires that a comprehensive regulatory obligation to dismantle and restore the wind turbines be introduced. The report also provides some comparative insights from other European countries that have already adopted such obligations.

If you are interested in learning more about this topic, you can read the full report here.