The Slovenian Government has approved a national-level spatial plan for the Ojstrica wind farm project, but local authorities and residents continue to raise concerns about its environmental and health impacts. Issues such as the potential threat to bird habitats, the water reserve aquifer, noise pollution, and the proximity of turbines to residential areas have led to strong opposition from local communities.
Slovenia remains among the lowest in the European Union for wind energy capacity, with its progress hindered by lengthy approval processes, strict environmental regulations, and local resistance to wind farm developments. To date, only three individual wind turbines have been installed in the country, with a fourth contracted by Dravske Elektrarne Maribor (DEM), a subsidiary of HSE.
The Ojstrica wind farm, which has faced significant opposition, is planned to be located on the slopes of Kosenjak mountain near Dravograd. The facility will initially feature three turbines, with a total capacity of 19.8 MW, and is expected to be operational by early 2028. The original plan called for eight turbines, but DEM revised the proposal to protect local bird species’ habitats.
Despite these revisions, a local activist group opposing the project continues to voice concerns, particularly regarding the effects of low-frequency noise. They also pointed out that Slovenia lacks regulations specifying the minimum distance between wind turbines and residential buildings, raising health and environmental concerns.
The Ministry of Environment, Climate, and Energy approved the environmental documentation for the Ojstrica wind farm in June. However, the local activist group claimed that they were unable to appeal the decision in time due to the Ministry’s deliberate publication of the decision in a hard-to-find section of its website. The group only discovered the decision three months later and accused the Ministry of attempting to avoid public scrutiny.
As Slovenia seeks to expand its wind energy capacity, the Ojstrica project highlights the ongoing tensions between environmental goals and local concerns over the impact of renewable energy projects.
