Offshore wind power is forcefully returning to the forefront of the debate. This is also because, between projects submitted and now close to approval, and plans yet to be implemented, countless turbines will surround Sardinia. This is a sign that the onslaught, begun in the halls of politics and bureaucracy, will soon move beyond the stage of construction. Proof of this is what's happening in Alghero these days: the Eco One, a specialized vessel—already used for the Tyrrhenian Link—has been exploring the seabed off the Catalan city for a few days. This is a sign that the Mistral project, much contested in recent months, is about to get underway.
The features
The vessel is 59.25 meters long and 14.95 meters wide. It is using special equipment to study the seabed with scheduled movements: horizontally until Thursday evening, and starting Friday with a triangular course. This involves the demarcation of the marine area (or part of it) covering the municipalities (in addition to Alghero, Ittiri, Bessude, and Putifigari) affected by the Mistral, with 32 wind turbines with a total capacity of 480 MW, to be built in the Sardinian Sea off the coast of the provinces of Sassari and Oristano. The deadline for submitting comments on the plan, moreover, was July 15.
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