The border region of Belgian Limburg, Dutch Limburg and Germany is one of the regions that still has a chance of housing the Einstein Telescope. This is a state-of-the-art observatory of gravitational waves, built from a triangular telescope with sides 10 kilometers long, about 300 meters underground. In 2025, it will be decided at European level whether the Meuse-Rhine region or Sardinia can house the telescope.
In the Einstein telescope, which should provide more than 1,500 jobs, research is being done into the origin of the universe and black holes. To be able to detect the latter, it is essential that the observatory does not pick up noise from the activities on Earth.
“The wind turbine project therefore posed a serious threat to the arrival of the Einstein telescope in the Meuse-Rhine Euregion. The development of onshore wind turbines is essential for the energy transition and the will to become more independent of Russian gas, but with this decision the economy and the prosperity of the Limburgers to pay the bill. That is why the Flemish government appealed to the Council of State. Fortunately with success,” says Demir.