Environment agency rejects appeal against Sandoy wind farm

The Faroese Environment Agency has dismissed an appeal against the environmental permit for a planned wind farm in Klivaløkshagi on Sandoy.

The agency said the appeal contained no new information that would require it to reopen the case. Vindorka, the small-scale energy group, received the permit in September 2025, but several residents of Sandoy filed an appeal the following month.

Residents argued that the turbines would cast shadows for more than 10 hours a year in nearby settlements, harming quality of life in Trøðum. They also claimed that road runoff would damage sensitive wetlands at Heyga and Fossamýri and disrupt birdlife in the Sandsbjørgur area.

The agency acknowledged that shadow flicker is a relevant factor in environmental assessments and noted technical studies showing that rural shadow hours would remain below the permitted 10-hour annual limit. It now proposes relocating the turbines farther north within the project area to further reduce any impact on inhabited areas or traffic.

On drainage, the agency said the access road would be routed to avoid sensitive terrain and vegetation, likely crossing wetlands and natural drainage channels. Regarding birdlife, the agency said the permit only covers disturbance, not direct harm to nesting patterns, a provision covered under the Electricity Supply Act.

One appellant, reached by phone, said the group disagreed with the agency’s conclusion and believed further action was needed. Residents have also separately petitioned the agency to designate additional protected areas around Gróthúsvatn and Søltuvík under the Nature Conservation Act, which took effect in January 2024, but have not yet received a response.