Objection against alpine solar installation Grengiols
Four environmental organizations are opposing the planned alpine solar park near Grengiols in the Upper Valais Saflisch valley. They criticize an “inadequate environmental impact assessment and planning that does not comply with the law.”
Pro Natura, Mountain Wilderness, the Swiss Landscape Conservation Foundation (SLS) and the WWF announced on Thursday that they would file an objection against the alpine solar installation.
The WWF has identified serious deficiencies regarding the site assessment for Grengiols-Solar, the organization writes in a press release. The assessments of the expected damage to flora and fauna were found to be inadequate.
Criticism of environmental compatibility
Pro Natura, Mountain Wilderness and SLS noted that the environmental impact assessment for this project in a pristine landscape in the heart of the Binntal Landscape Park had not been carried out to completion.
The canton of Valais currently lacks an overarching master plan for suitable sites for large-scale photovoltaic installations, as required by the Electricity Act. This deficiency leads to the development of installations in untouched nature, without alternative sites having been examined.
Renewables should be placed on existing infrastructure
The organizations further argue that the adoption of the Electricity Act on 9 June makes it clear that the expansion of renewable energy must take place predominantly on already developed land. Open-space solar installations could at most complement this expansion, but would need to be planned and implemented with care.
Grengiols-Solar is intended to produce 150 gigawatt-hours of renewable electricity annually at an altitude of around 2,500 metres over an area of 0.8 square kilometres.
Participatory action: Demand from your municipality, in light of the catastrophic policy of Federal Councillor Albert Rösti (SVP), a remission request for federal and cantonal taxes on account of the recently approved culling of wolves in Switzerland. You can download the template letter here: https://wildbeimwild.com/ein-appell-fuer-eine-veraenderung-in-der-schweiz/
