Cagliari, Italy –
The bolts securing the towering wind turbine were unscrewed under cover of darkness, an act of sabotage symbolizing a vehement pushback against renewable energy in Sardinia.
Long summers and strong winds make the Italian island a prime location for wind and solar power, but intense investor interest has spooked locals who say Sardinia is being exploited.
The loosened bolts were discovered before the turbine on the edge of the village of Mamoiada toppled over, but it was one of several plants vandalized this year as regional authorities drew up rules determining where clean energy structures can be built.