Solar project in Grengiols in Valais can be realized
Published: Sunday, Dec 10th 2023, 14:30
Updated At: Sunday, Dec 10th 2023, 14:31
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The solar energy project in Grengiols in the Saflischtal valley in Valais can be realized. The project partners want to submit the planning application to the canton at the beginning of 2024 following the double yes from the civic community and local community, as Grengiolssolar announced on Sunday. IG Saflischtal will continue to fight against the project.
The Burgergemeinde voted in favor of the project by 163 votes to 94, while the Einwohnergemeinde voted 190 in favor and 70 against. The turnout was over 80 percent.
According to national energy legislation, the consent of the landowner and the local municipality are prerequisites for the canton of Valais to be able to start the approval process once the planning application has been submitted at the beginning of 2024. Accordingly, the project partners now want to work on finalizing the dossier with a view to the public launch, according to the statement.
Grengiols-Solar will produce 150 gigawatt hours of renewable electricity per year at an altitude of 2,500 meters over an area of 0.8 square kilometers, around 43 percent of which will be generated in winter. The electricity can supply 40,000 households. The project partners are the municipality of Grengiols, EnBAG (Energie Brig-Aletsch-Goms AG), FMV (Forces Motrices Valaisannes), EKZ (Elektrizitätswerke des Kantons Zürich), the western Swiss energy company Groupe E and IWB (Industrielle Werke Basel).
The wrong location for IG
IG Saflischtal expressed its disappointment at the result of the vote in a press release on Sunday, but says it will continue to fight. The wild Saflischtal valley is the wrong location for such a facility.
The public's yes vote does not yet mean that the solar plant will be built. Too many questions remain unanswered. The project will still face many hurdles. The more high-alpine solar plants are planned, the more uncertain their profitability becomes. The bill for the overpriced systems would have to be paid by electricity consumers.
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