A tug-of-war over solar farms in the Alps

Building large solar farms in the mountains could be a good way of producing more electricity in winter, while speeding up the energy transition. But nature protection organisations are vehemently opposed to such projects.

On Sunday, 54% of the population of the canton of Valais rejected a decree aimed at speeding up authorisation procedures for major solar power projects in the Alps. The decree, which came into force last February, has been repealed with immediate effect. Alpine solar projects already announced in the canton will be able to go ahead, however, they will hate to follow a standard procedure.

It should be noted that the vote revealed a wide disparity between French-speaking(over 61% no) and German-speaking(almost 68% yes) voters.

The decree was intended to serve as the basis for the cantonal application of the Federal Energy Act, which was amended as a matter of urgency a year ago. Called Solar Express, it is designed to enable a rapid increase in electricity production during winter to avoid a power shortage.

Claire Micallef

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Switzerland currently gets 6% of its electricity from the sun. Studies show that installing solar panels at the top of the Swiss Alps could produce at least 16 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity per year, almost half the solar energy that the authorities hope to produce annually by 2050. These figures should be treated with caution, however, as they are based on projects that are not always precisely outlined and on hypothetical returns.

A number of "solar farm" projects backed by local authorities and electricity companies already exist - eight in the canton of Valais alone. Some have already won the support of the local population. For the time being, however, few major installations of this type have seen the light of day, slowed down or blocked by opposition often voiced by landscape conservationists. In Valais, committed NGOs and the Greens - supported by the Swiss People’s Party in the French-speaking part of the canton - launched a referendum against the decree that was rejected on Sunday. They criticised the impact of these solar power plants on the landscape as well as on biodiversity, and condemned the sacrifice of hundreds of hectares of mountain pastures.

The problem is, it's urgent. Following the adoption of the Climate Act, transport, heating and industry will have to be electrified by 2050. According to the Association of Swiss Electricity Companies (VSE), with nuclear power stations having to be decommissioned at the same time, this could result in an electricity shortfall of up to 37 TWh - as much as Switzerland's hydroelectric output. Clearly, energy efficiency must be improved and Switzerland must produce more energy, especially in winter.

The environmentalists opposed to this type of project say they are not opposed to a solar offensive, which they consider "necessary", but it must not be at the expense of wild alpine areas.

The nature conservationists want to give priority to projects on existing structures, such as dam walls, avalanche barriers, storage lakes, ski lifts and road infrastructure. In their view, these sites represent "a gigantic potential that is still largely under-exploited".

AW with RTSinfo, SRF and SWI swissinfo.ch

Producing electricity instead of protecting nature?

How can Switzerland cover its electricity needs in the future and how much natural area must be sacrificed to do so? The pros and cons using the Grimsel dam as an example.

The Grimsel dam in the Bernese Oberland represents like no other place  the debate on the future of energy. It is to be raised by 23 metres and thus supply even more domestic winter electricity. But the project is controversial - just like other large-scale projects with which Switzerland wants to achieve the energy transition. The question arises: Should we produce electricity instead of protecting nature and the landscape? This was one of the questions asked by Pro-Natura President and Social Democrat National Councillor Ursula Schneider Schüttel and by the head of Bernische Kraftwerke BKW, Robert Itschner - on the Grimsel dam.

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Since the Yes vote on the Climate Protection Act, it has been clear that Switzerland will need more electricity by 2050, as transport, heating and industry will have to be electrified. Since at the same time, nuclear power plants are to be decommissioned, there could be an electricity gap of up to 37 TWh according to the Association of Swiss Electricity Companies (VSE). That is as much as Switzerland's entire hydropower production supplies today.

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Energy efficiency must increase and Switzerland must produce more energy, especially in winter. Photovoltaics currently supply just under four TWh of electricity; according to the federal government, this figure is expected to rise to 34 TWh by 2050. Hydropower is expected to increase production from 37 TWh today to 39 TWh.

This is to be achieved by speeding up the procedures for new buildings. Robert Itschner and Ursula Schneider Schüttel agree on this. The president of Pro Natura emphasises, however, that procedures based on the rule of law, such as a good review of projects, must be guaranteed: "A balancing of interests must still be possible."

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Using the example of the planned but as yet undecided raising of the Grimsel dam, BKW CEO Robert Itschner explains how long a process takes today: from the idea to the start, it could take 28 years in the case of the Grimsel dam.

Pro Natura, together with other organisations, fought against the raising of the dam wall all the way to the Federal Court. In the meantime, the nature conservation organisation has come to terms with this. Also because the raising of the Grimsel dam is one of the 15 hydropower projects that the "Round Table" under former Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga agreed on at the end of 2021: "We are not happy about the dam raising, but we no longer oppose it", says Schneider Schüttel.

Will Switzerland achieve the energy transition?

The BKW boss is optimistic as the challenges are technically solvable.

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And: "We will achieve it if we are fast. We have to step on the gas and create a spirit in Switzerland where we implement and do not debate forever."

How can the electricity demand be met?

Produce electricity or protect nature?

Agrivoltaics wins over more and more Swiss farmers and market gardeners

"Agrivoltaics" is beginning to develop in Switzerland. This solution, which involves installing solar panels on cultivated plots of land or fruit trees, has significant potential for generating electricity. In the Lucerne countryside, the first large-scale installation of this type in Switzerland has just been inaugurated.

The solar panels are installed in such a way as to let in enough light for the plants to grow. As well as producing electricity, the installation sieves out the sun's rays so that the plants don't suffer.

"When there's too much sun, the plant suffers. Here, we've found a solution that makes the work easier, is good for the plant and produces environmentally-friendly electricity. What more could you ask for?" said a farmer from Gelfingen (LU) on RTS's 19h30 programme, who has installed hundreds of these modules (2,600 m2) above his raspberry bushes.

Developed by Insolight, a Vaud-based company set up in 2015, agrivoltaic technology could speed up the development of solar electricity. "Today, we are far too slow in the pace of deployment in relation to the energy transition. This technology is a new solution for large-scale deployment. We're talking about megawatt plants here. We think it's very interesting", explains Laurent Coulot, Director of Insolight.

Another advantage, according to the director: solar panels are an excellent solution in times of energy crisis. "The main concern of market gardeners is to have a good agricultural tool and to be able to grow crops. Behind that, the possibility of generating their own electricity is very interesting, especially in these times of energy crisis." In his view, the crisis has been a real stepping stone for all solar and renewable energies.

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In Switzerland, the law allows agrivoltaics on crops that already need protection from the sun or from hail, such as raspberries. If all these surfaces were covered with solar panels, electricity production would be between two and three terawatt hours, or around 3% of Swiss consumption, according to the Swiss Federal Office of Energy.

On the other hand, the installation of solar panels on field crops is prohibited, a necessary restriction according to the farmers' umbrella organisation. "Growing potatoes or cereals requires heavy machinery, and these plants need sunlight. Current solar installations would limit food production. As a result, we would have to import less electricity but more food", explains Martin Rufer, Director of the Swiss Farmers' Union.

Agrivoltaics on the rise

Find out where you stand

In Valais, several projects for new reservoirs are in the works. One of them is in Goms. Environmental associations are fighting against it.

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The Valais is to become the "battery of the Alps" in the next few years and thus strengthen the power supply in winter - according to the plans of the authorities. But this will require new or expanded reservoirs.

Accordingly, numerous projects for new dams are in the pipeline. Among them is also a project in Goms, which was not known to the public until now.

The energy company Groupe E wants to build an approximately 120-metre-high and 300-metre-long dam below the Fiescher Glacier. This dam should collect the water masses of the ever faster melting glacier and turn them into electricity in winter.

"A hydroelectric power plant with a dam is very easy to realise here. The water simply flows into the Burgsee without needing energy for pumps", Frédéric Boden from Groupe E tells SRF.

The company expects construction costs of CHF 500 million. The reservoir should one day be able to produce an additional 160 gigawatt hours of winter electricity. This is roughly equivalent to the daily consumption of all of Switzerland.

The municipality of Fieschertal supports the project. The reservoir would be both flood protection and a water reservoir, says community president Peter Bähler. "Now the water just flows away and is thus completely useless."

Now the water simply flows away, and is thus completely useless.

The "Fiescher Glacier dam" dossier is not new, it was already on the table of former Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga. It was one of a total of 32 projects discussed by the cantons, the energy sector and environmental protection associations.

At the first attempt, however, the dam at the Fiescher Glacier did not make it into the first 15 projects that the federal government is prioritising.

One reason for this is the foreseeable resistance against the project: Environmental organisations criticise the plans sharply.

Environmental associations oppose reservoir in Goms

"A dam is a huge intervention in nature. There is a valuable glacial landscape there that would be completely flooded by the construction of the dam", says Christopher Bonzi, WWF water expert.

The Foundation for Landscape Protection also opposes the project: According to them, the Jungfrau-Aletsch area could lose its status as a Unesco World Heritage Site because of the new dam.

The Valais authorities have not yet written off the dam. The project is to be anchored in the cantonal structure plan in a second round, the canton writes at the request of SRF.

Frédéric Boden from the energy company Groupe E also hopes that the project will not disappear into a drawer. "This dam should be here by 20 years", he says. Groupe E is currently considering whether to commission a feasibility study. Thus, one thing is clear: there is still a long way to go before a possible dam is built above Fiesch. 

Electricity from melting glaciers

Will the Swiss countryside soon be dotted with wind turbines?

Switzerland would need around 760 wind turbines to meet the government’s 2050 energy target. A lower number would do the job, a study has found – but only if they could be built on valuable farming land.

Renewable energy sources are steadily on the rise. In 2022, wind and solar power generated 22% of EU electricity, overtaking fossil gas (20%) for the first time. Wind accounted for around 17% of electricity production.

Swiss wind power also set a new record in 2022, generating 5% more electricity than the previous year, according to the association Suisse Eole. But the country still has a long way to go if it is to meet its targets.

By April 2023, Switzerland had 41 operating wind turbines, which produced around 0.15 terawatt-hours (TWh) a year – this represents 0.3% of electricity consumption. The Swiss Energy Strategy for 2050, meanwhile, aims to increase production to 4.3 TWh a year, to generate around 7% of electricity. So how can this be achieved?

A study by the federal technology institute ETH Zurich has concluded that, in order to reach its 2050 target, Switzerland would need 760 wind turbines. This is nearly 20 times the current number.

The study also pinpointed which geographic areas would be most suitable for them. Around 300 turbines would need to be erected in the mountains of cantons Valais and Graubünden, 260 in the lowlands of the central Swiss Plateau region and the remainder in the foothills of the Alps.

The ETH Zurich researchers based their analysis on the current state of legislation, which prohibits the construction of wind turbines in forests or agricultural crop rotation areas. They also considered the fact that turbines in lowland areas can be taller and more powerful than those at higher altitudes.

Fewer wind turbines could suffice but land-use regulations would have to be eased, the study argues.

If the particularly windy crop rotation areas of the central Plateau region could be used, Switzerland would only need around 460 wind turbines, the researchers found. This land accounts for about 40% of the country’s utilised agricultural area.

By making use of this high-quality lowland terrain, “we would need to build significantly fewer wind turbines in Alpine areas”, said Adrienne Grêt-Regamex, professor of landscape and environmental planning at ETH Zurich and co-author of the study, in a press release.

The cost of constructing and erecting wind turbines tends to be higher in the mountains than in the plains, she added. Moreover, “the Swiss population finds wind turbines in pristine Alpine landscapes particularly disturbing”.

The Swiss agricultural sector is open to the idea of producing wind energy on land considered essential for food security.

“The pressure on these key areas is already very strong. However, as wind power is an important supplement to the electricity mix and wind turbines occupy only a small surface area, some projects could make sense,” wrote Hannah von Ballmoos-Hofer, head of energy and environment in the Swiss Farmers’ Union, in an e-mailed reply to SWI swissinfo.ch. Each proposal would nonetheless have to be assessed on a case-by-case basis, she added.

According to Ballmoos-Hofer, the farming community is willing to contribute to energy production. But if wind power sites were set up on farming land, the farmers would have to “receive appropriate compensation”.

The environmental scientist Grêt-Regamex put the dilemma in a nutshell. If the Swiss population wants as few wind turbines as possible, both overall and in the Alps, then large and visible plants will have to be built where the wind is strongest. “If, on the other hand, we give priority to protecting crop rotation areas, we will have no choice but to expand into the Alps,” she noted.

Wind power is struggling to take off in Switzerland. The country does not have such vast, uninhabited flat areas as neighbouring Germany, for instance. Moreover, building wind power sites in the Alps is controversial, and environmental and landscape protection associations oppose projects in unspoilt mountain regions. Much of the Swiss population shares this view, according to a survey by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) conducted in October 2022. 

Nonetheless, especially in the wake of electricity-supply fears over the past year, Swiss politicians want to give a decisive boost to wind power. In March, the House of Representatives decided to accelerate the construction of wind farms while limiting the possibility of appeal. This should make it possible to build around 150 turbines quickly and increase domestic electricity production during the winter, when the country depends on imports.

Energy transition through wind energy?

A thousand people protested in Delémont: "The project is a danger for both the population and the environment".

A coffin crossed the streets of Delémont. The inscription on it: "Democracy Denied". Around on thousand demonstrators took to the streets in the capital of the canton of Jura. They were protesting against the deep geothermal project planned in the neighbouring municipality of Haute-Sorne.

Tensions on this issue have been rising for months. At the beginning of September, the association Citoyens responsables Jura (CRJ) called on the government and parliament to abandon the project because it poses "a danger to the population and the environment". The opponents also criticised the fact that the population was never consulted. These were the slogans chanted during the procession.

The controversial project involves pumping water into boreholes several thousand metres deep. The resulting steam is used to generate heat and electricity. The plant is to supply electricity for around 6,000 households. So far, only the exploratory phase has been approved, which will be followed by a new cantonal decision.

Sensitivity to underground drilling is particularly high in this region. Many still remember the abandonment of the deep heat mining project in Basel in 2006 after drilling operations triggered earthquakes.

Geothermal energy in the crosshairs

The Federal Council wants to shorten the deadlines for permits and objections to new installations.

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Up to 20 years can pass between the start of planning for a wind, solar or hydropower plant and its realisation. Too much, the Federal Council thinks, and has now decided to shorten the procedures. The goal is a rapid increase in electricity generation from renewable energy sources.

There is already an accelerated procedure for wind and solar power plants of national importance. Here, parliament had decided that the cantons, rather than the municipalities, should issue all building, expansion and renewal permits. The procedure is therefore not divided into several phases, each subject to possible appeal.

The cantons will also be responsible for delineating suitable areas for these plants in their respective structure plans, taking landscape protection into account. The planning process for the expansion of the electricity grid will also be shortened.

Finally, the appeal channels will also be shortened. At the cantonal level, only the court of last instance remains, which has 180 days to make a statement. However, no local organisations can apply, but only public bodies and environmental organisations active throughout Switzerland such as WWF, Pro Natura and the Foundation for Landscape Protection.

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News 22.00, 06/18/23: Solar panels on new buildings

Faster procedures for renewable energy

Photovoltaics in court: the example of Graubünden

An appeal against the "ScuolSolar" project has been lodged with the Graubünden Administrative Court. This is reported by the news agency "Fundazione Medias Rumantschas FMR". Specifically, the complainants criticise the communication process in connection with the photovoltaic plant in the Motta Naluns ski area in Scuol in the Lower Engadine. They would have liked to have been able to consider the matter and not have had to make an unexpected decision at the community assembly on 21 August.  

As Jürg Arquint, one of the complainants, explained to FMR, they criticise the entire project. In their opinion, there is no need to destroy nature on such a large area. The compensation for the municipality of Scuol of 0.75 centimes per kWh is also not good. The municipality of Scuol must now comment by September 20. until then it does not want to tell the media anything.

On September 14, the community must decide whether it wants to make the site available for the project. Despite this appeal, the referendum will also take place on September 24, the municipality of Scuol confirmed to FMR. They will make the final decision on the project, which will cost around CHF 100 million and generate electricity for around 20,000 households. 

Should the administrative court uphold the complainants, however, the vote could be invalid, according to Jürg Arquint.


Scuol community assembly supports solar plant

The community assembly of Scuol has discussed the request for the realisation of the "ScuolSolar" plant in advance for the referendum. The photovoltaic system is to be realised on the municipal territory near the ski resort of Motta Naluns. 

The population was informed at an orientation evening


The "ScuolSolar" project is planned to be implemented on the grounds of the municipality of Scuol near the ski resort of Motta Naluns. The main purpose of this plant is to generate electricity in winter. The project presented is a maximum version, which envisages the installation of around 92,000 panels covering an area of 160,000 square metres. 

The plant will generate electricity for about 20,000 households. A community meeting will be held in mid-August to provide information about the project, which will be put to a vote in September. The building application for the photovoltaic project is to be submitted in October of this year. The first stage of the project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2025. 

The municipality of Scuol, EE-Energia Engiadina and Engadiner Kraftwerke AG have jointly developed the project. The plan is to found a company called ScuolSolar AG, which will be run as a photovoltaic electrical company. The municipality and the two companies should each participate with one third.


One of Switzerland's largest solar plants

The planned project covers around 77 hectares and, according to Scuol Solar, could generate electricity for around 20,000 households. In autumn, when the project was first presented, there was talk of a maximum size of 35 hectares. The variant presented will cost around CHF 100 million. The "ScuolSolar" project is intended to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the legal framework of the Solar Express launched in 2022, initiated by the Swiss Conferedation.

The plant is to be built on the slope of Piz Champatsch near the Motta Naluns cable cars. 

In Graubünden, there are plans for solar power plants in some places. Some projects are already more concrete, others are visions.


In November, the citizens' assembly unanimously said yes to the construction of the solar park above Scuol.


Photovoltaics in court

Switzerland is to be climate-neutral by 2050. For the energy transition, much more electricity must be produced. However, plans for power plants are meeting with resistance.

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