Draft law (541 SE) for the first reading amending the Act of Implementing the Construction Code and Planning Act, the Environmental Charges Act, and the Planning Act (Accelerating the Adoption of Renewable Energy)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary sitting
Date: 2024-12-18 17:45
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 72
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 1h 14m
AI Summaries: 72/72 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The first reading of draft 541, which aims to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy and changes to planning legislation, the building code, and the environmental charges act, took place. The draft proposes solutions for the organization of state and local government special planning procedures, allows for a more detailed project to be prepared in the initial stage, and changes the procedure for public display and discussion so that involvement takes place in the most relevant area. In addition, the system of environmental charges is being modified in relation to wind turbine fees, which will result in greater clarity and a clear geographical distribution among local governments. The planned package of measures is hoped to save time and reduce processing times and make the process more purposeful for both developers and residents.
The debate focused primarily on the role of environmental impact assessments, how involvement is organized, and what the conditions are for the distribution of local benefits in the case of wind turbines. The opposition and several factions (including EKRE, Isamaa, Eesti 200) also raised the issue of establishing offshore wind farms, their impact on both the environment and the economy, and consumer prices, and whether acceleration justifies a possible ecological and social cost. The discussion regarding the objectives and risks of the draft reflects the effort to find a balance between accelerating the development of renewable energy and comprehensive environmental protection, the rights of local residents, and the interests of consumers.
Decisions Made 4
The economics committee decided to put the bill on the plenary session agenda on December 18th and to continue the proceedings and submit the bill to the plenary session agenda.
The first reading was concluded; the proposal to continue the discussion and make clarifications between subsequent readings was rejected.
It was announced and formalized that the Environment Committee's opinion would be given between the first and second readings.
The Isamaa faction's proposal to reject the bill on the first reading failed to gain enough support (10 in favor, 47 against, 0 abstentions). The first reading is concluded.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Mart Maastik (Isamaa faction). He represents the right-wing political direction (right/law). His skillful performance and numerous speeches demonstrated his great level of participation in this debate.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
This speech summarizes the first reading of Draft Bill 541, the last item on the year's agenda, which concerns amendments to the implementing act for the Construction Act and Planning Act, the Environmental Fees Act, and amendments to the Planning Act to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy, and which is presented by Climate Minister Yoko Alender.
Kliimaminister Yoko Alender
AI Summary
Before the Riigikogu, Climate Minister Yoko Alender will present amendments to the Planning Act, the Construction Act, and the Environmental Fees Act, aimed at accelerating the development of renewable energy, making the procedure more purposeful and flexible (including by organizing disclosure and discussion in particularly affected regions and, in the first phase, by accelerating the preparation of a more precise project), and changing the wind-turbine fee and the involvement of local governments so that the fee is larger and clearer, and local governments can decide how the fees are disbursed, which is hoped to shorten the processing time by two months.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanked the audience and informed them that his colleagues have more questions, and gave the floor to Siim Pohlak.
Siim Pohlak
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Siim Pohlak asks, in connection with the planned wind-turbine area in Kose municipality, why the state places them so close to a large settlement, what options do locals have to halt the process, and how such a halt is even feasible there.
Kliimaminister Yoko Alender
AI Summary
The introduction of renewable energy to the market is in everyone's interest, as it is the main way to lower electricity prices, and the process must involve local residents and municipalities, with the draft bill clarifying the local-benefit conditions developed by the Riigikogu, including fees.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
They invite Evelin Poolamets onto the stage.
Evelin Poolamets
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Evelin Poolamets asked the minister whether there is a nationwide, comprehensive overview of wind-turbine site planning and what the total number of turbines and the total capacity are, referring to the examples of the municipalities of Vinni, Haljala and Väike-Maarja.
Kliimaminister Yoko Alender
AI Summary
Climate Minister Yoko Alender introduced a development plan whose core is the utilization of onshore and offshore wind energy capacities, the benefits for local governments and residents, and the provision of cheaper electricity; discussions on the alignment of defense interests and renewable energy; and a draft bill that could bring new companies and jobs to the regions, and she pledged to send in writing precise megawatt figures and to display them on a chart.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi asked Anti Poolametsa to speak.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anti Poolamets criticized the minister, saying that the numbers must be in people’s heads and that overproduction is being dealt with, wind turbines are being installed across Estonia, and subsidy costs are rising, which could lead to energy being sold to Latvia, Lithuania, or Germany, and he asked whether Estonia would have a similar Denmark-style housing-price compensation mechanism so that people would not end up homeless.
Kliimaminister Yoko Alender
AI Summary
There is talk of electricity shortages in the region and in Europe, emphasizing the importance of domestic energy production for Estonia and its support through auctions, and the example of Lääneemaa illustrates how locals can obtain cheaper energy directly from a supplier, and this brings local financial benefits.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman, Toomas Kivimägi, asks Kalle Grünthali to take the floor.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Grünthal claims that wind energy is accompanied by a threat from invisible infrasonic waves, which the WHO's 2018 guidelines indicate, but the Health Board's knowledge is insufficient and the Climate Ministry is trying to find a solution only for next year, while the approval of detailed plans and the construction of wind turbines is praised, which calls into question how their impact is assessed prior to construction.
Kliimaminister Yoko Alender
AI Summary
In planning, of course, various effects are considered, but perhaps it is worth applying some common sense, and if in countries where wind energy has been developed for decades the health indicators are significantly better than ours, then it would be difficult to expect such an impact from there.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The deputy chairman Toomas Kivimägi asks Mart Maastikut to come.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Maastik states that there is no complete overview of either onshore wind turbines or offshore wind farms, and that, due to chaotic planning, costs and taxes are rising; and it asks how offshore wind farms, which are three to five times more expensive than onshore wind farms, can even bring cheap electricity, and where cheap electricity comes from if the people have to cover it through subsidies.
Kliimaminister Yoko Alender
AI Summary
Climate Minister Yoko Alender said that calculations must be done in such a way that the benefit to society is significantly greater than the amount collected through the renewable energy charge, and that the benefit mainly comes from cheaper electricity prices, which outweigh the size of the renewable energy charges.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi asked Evelin Poolametsa.
Evelin Poolamets
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Poolamets asks the minister how the draft reduces environmental impact assessments in order to speed up planning, and how he comments on it.
Kliimaminister Yoko Alender
AI Summary
Climate Minister Yoko Alender said that in Estonia the greatest environmental impact comes from oil shale energy (extraction and burning of fossil fuels), and developing renewable energy is necessary so that the environment is cleaner and the price of electricity falls; amendments to the bill will not worsen the assessment of environmental impacts and these are evaluated very thoroughly; it is also possible to restore damaged areas and to build renewable energy production capacities in the same place, in order to achieve a better living environment and a clean economy.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Siim Pohlak is invited to speak.
Siim Pohlak
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Siim Pohlak asks why the state favors building large wind turbines near residential areas, citing potential radio interference and health effects, and requests an explanation and better considerations regarding the distance to residences.
Kliimaminister Yoko Alender
AI Summary
Within the framework of this draft, I find it difficult to comment on concrete planning procedures, but in principle I emphasize that we will not take new areas from nature for human activity, and the best and most optimal solutions must be found through cooperation between the state and local authorities, balancing the quality of people's everyday living environment and energy needs.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Rene Kokk was invited to give a speech.
AI Summary
Rene Kokk says that the climate minister has been made the spearhead of a draft bill that would speed up the installation of wind turbines within 60 days; if this is the case, it is hypocritical, because for ten years EU requirements have been dropped, and oil shale energy could reach 2050 instead of 2040, and the involvement is illusory — for long-term planning, 60 days will not bring real benefit and it would trample over people.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman, Toomas Kivimägi, briefly thanked.
Kliimaminister Yoko Alender
AI Summary
Climate Minister Yoko Alender said that the draft bill does not interfere with the environmental impact assessment process, but the aim of the amendment is to increase public participation where people are most directly affected, and to reduce the bureaucracy that has often hindered renewable energy from entering the market, and she stressed that oil shale energy is currently the most expensive energy, and that renewable energy helps bring prices down.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The beginning of the speech consisted in summoning Kalle Grünthal onto the stage.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Kalle Grünthal referred to the WHO guidelines and asked for a specific list of diseases caused by the infrasound produced by wind turbines, adding that if he does not know, the answer should be "I don't know".
Kliimaminister Yoko Alender
AI Summary
Climate Minister Yoko Alender said that she does not know of any disease that our developing wind energy production could cause.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Toomas Kivimägi invited Mart Maastik onto the stage.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Mart Maastik asked why even plan offshore wind farms, when they are three to five times more expensive than onshore wind farms and their outputs already exceed current consumption, especially considering that electricity demand could grow five to sixfold by 2035, and there are no investments or signs of industrial development.
Kliimaminister Yoko Alender
AI Summary
Climate Minister Yoko Alender said that it is in Estonia's interests to produce clean, affordable renewable energy and to have a plan for investments in new clean industry, which must be streamlined in the planning process and bureaucracy reduced, so that offshore wind farms and other large projects can come to fruition, and that clean energy would bring economic growth and higher wages.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anti Poolamets criticizes the minister for being ignorant about the impact of wind turbines on infrasonic sound, refers to the loss of homes due to the Saarde wind farm, and invites him to meet with people who have publicly complained because of health problems and have forwarded the data to the Health Board and to doctors.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller gives the floor to Anti Poolamets.
Kliimaminister Yoko Alender
AI Summary
Climate Minister Yoko Alender said that she has read local studies in Estonia about the proximity of oil shale mines and the burning of fossil fuels, as well as the impact of transport emissions and fine particulates, that she is not aware of such effects for wind turbines, and although she knows our plans, she does not want to share inaccurate information with Riigikogu members and will pass on the data on the pace and scale of next year's planning to Ms. Poolamets.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This is a brief appeal to invite Rene Kokk onto the stage.
AI Summary
Rene Kokk claims that a ten-year phase-out of oil shale energy would have needed to be carefully considered, rather than rushing to put up wind turbines now, and asks whether the easing of environmental requirements is being discussed, and claims that participation measures are more convenient for entrepreneurs and limit people's involvement.
Kliimaminister Yoko Alender
AI Summary
This law does not in any way reduce the environmental impact assessment, and such an objective is not intended to be achieved by this law.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This is a very short prayer addressed to Madis Kallas.
Madis Kallas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Madis Kallas emphasized that electricity production today and in the near future without an environmental footprint is unlikely, and asked whether the messages received from Ida-Viru County and the explanations for their long suffering have been taken into account in drafting the law.
Kliimaminister Yoko Alender
AI Summary
In Ida-Viru County, the recently installed wind turbines are very welcome and are regarded as beautiful, but to reduce the impact of oil shale, modern environmental requirements have been established, and during the drafting of this law we were not actually consulted on this matter.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy chairman Arvo Aller presents a plea to Varro Vooglaid.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid raised the issue that Estonia lacks a unified and up-to-date overview of all wind-farm plans initiated by local governments, and he proposed that the government create a transparent map that would reflect all plans in real time, so that the public could understand the extent to which land is planned to be covered by wind turbines.
Kliimaminister Yoko Alender
AI Summary
Yoko Alender said that if the world's entire energy demand were met by wind energy, it would require significantly less land than today, and regarding Estonia, the most accurate information and the data on planning schemes currently in progress are on the Ministry of Climate's website, which she also forwards as the latest.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-chairman Arvo Aller turns toward Madis Kallas and says: "Madis Kallas, please!"
Madis Kallas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Madis Kallas asks whether the planned amendment to the law will bring the organization of public meetings closer to people, and that civic engagement meetings would be held in their region, not in a center located far away.
Kliimaminister Yoko Alender
AI Summary
The aim of the change is to make participation in public discussions and exhibitions as easy as possible, and the Saaremaa example showed that otherwise it would be very far to reach the regional center.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller asks Varro Vooglaid to take the floor.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid asks how a 100 percent transition to renewable energy is realistic, given nighttime and cloudy periods and the limited ability to buy electricity from neighboring regions.
Kliimaminister Yoko Alender
AI Summary
By 2030 Estonia aims to produce as much renewable energy as it consumes in electricity annually, which requires balancing both renewable energy and controllable and reserve capacities, storage, biogas and demand management, and, if necessary, the use of baseload energy (for example nuclear) and investments in new capacity.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller asked Tõnis Mölder to take the floor.
Tõnis Mölder
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
They acknowledge the proposal's aim of reducing bureaucracy, but note that the real benefit for renewable energy developers is limited, since it does not apply to projects already in the permitting process, creates very few new jobs, and rather eases the burden on officials; therefore they request that the criticism be softened or dismissed.
Kliimaminister Yoko Alender
AI Summary
Climate Minister Yoko Alender said that the draft also concerns ongoing sectoral plans, but the focus is on reducing bureaucracy and redundancies and making practical changes that bring local benefits, including in the implementation of wind-turbine charges in renewable energy development.
Anti Allas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Anti Allas points out that, although a claim is heard in the hall about preventing the evil hand from interfering in the production of oil shale energy, the real problem is that it cannot enter the market at a price, and he asks whether Estonia has decided to close these power plants in the coming years or leave them in reserve and keep them as long as there are no alternatives.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This is merely a short prayer to Anti Allas.
Kliimaminister Yoko Alender
AI Summary
Climate Minister Yoko Alender said that Estonia's draft bill, via islanding, will bring oil shale reserves to the market to reduce peak prices and ensure electricity supply until cheaper and cleaner production capacities come online.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller thanked and stated that there are no further questions, and asked that the discussion held in the steering committee and the decisions made be presented to the chairman of the Economic Committee, Jaak Aabi.
AI Summary
Jaak Aab informed that at the first reading the Economic Committee introduced the draft bill, and the discussion centered on special planning, their disclosure, and the question of covering the costs of the state's special planning for offshore wind farms, and the committee decided to place the draft on the plenary agenda on 18 December, to complete the first reading, and to seek the Environment Committee's opinion between the first and second readings.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The deputy chairman Arvo Aller thanked, stated that there were no questions, and opened negotiations with the factions. Mart Maastik represents the Isamaa faction.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The landscape voiced criticism of speeding up offshore wind farms, emphasizing that environmental impact assessments are necessary to prevent damage and that a 60-day draft bill must not get out of control, because offshore wind farms are costly, do not provide cheap electricity, and require substantial infrastructure, such as a 330 kV connection to Saaremaa.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chairman Arvo Aller asks for three more minutes.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Mart Maastik claims that accelerating onshore wind farms is accompanied by deforestation, CO2 burdens, infrasonic noise, problems of fish spawning and erosion, and microplastics in the sea, and calls for thinking about people and whether such an amount of energy is even necessary, therefore Isamaa proposes to reject the bill.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Evelin Poolamets represents the EKRE faction and submits a request.
Evelin Poolamets
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Evelin Poolamets believes that the draft bill is unacceptable, because it reduces the requirements for environmental impact assessments, limits local governments' and residents' decision-making authority, and promotes extensive wind and solar energy development, which threatens nature and people's health and does not help to lower electricity prices, therefore there is a need for responsible and well-considered planning.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Igor Taro represents the Eesti 200 parliamentary group and submits a request.
Igor Taro
AI Summary
The speaker, against the backdrop of the egg-and-chicken paradox, stressed that, according to evolution, the egg came first, and Eesti 200, which is science-based, supports the bill that follows Estonia's long-term energy outlook plan, increases the autonomy of local communities and municipalities in matters related to wind farms, explains the mechanism for paying the wind-turbine fee, and promises, in a later stage of the procedure, a precise economic analysis to lower consumers' electricity prices through increased production.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Thank you; the minister has also expressed a desire to participate in the negotiations.
Kliimaminister Yoko Alender
AI Summary
Before the Riigikogu, climate minister Yoko Alender presented Estonia's renewable energy capacity plan: 1500 MW for the coming year; 2026–2027 an additional about 300–400 MW of onshore wind farms; by 2029 onshore wind capacity could be about 2350 MW; and by 2030 the total renewable electricity capacity could reach up to 4500 MW, which could include offshore wind farms; and she stressed that the Isamaa and EKRE draft bill does not affect offshore wind development, consumption or environmental impacts, but reduces bureaucracy and increases the flexibility of sharing local benefits and payments.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller declared the negotiations concluded and asked the Riigikogu to vote on the Isamaa faction's proposal to postpone the first reading of Bill 541, which would suspend the first reading of the government-initiated Act implementing the Construction and Planning Act, the Environmental Fees Act, and the Planning Act Amendment Act (accelerating the deployment of renewable energy).
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The proposal received 10 votes in favour, 47 against and 0 abstentions and therefore did not gain support; the first reading has been completed; the deadline for amendment proposals is 7 January 2025 at 5:15 PM; the session has ended and tomorrow at 10:00 we will meet.