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The Val-de-Travers communities of Neuchâtel Jura and Tabernas in southern Spain have something in common: They are train stations on the solar and wind express currently hurtling towards Europe. In Jura, the Federal Court recently gave the green light for the construction of a wind farm; but the solar park in southern Europe has been in operation for years. This is symbolic. According to industry experts, it takes up to 25 years to implement a major project in Switzerland, five times longer than in other European countries.
At the end of 2022, the European Union responded to energy bottlenecks by accelerating approval procedures under emergency regulation and giving environmental impact assessments a secondary role. Since then, priority has been given to projects to generate electricity from renewable energy. Spain has become an exporter of electricity – Swiss energy companies such as Alpiq, Aventron, Electric Works of the Canton of Zurich (EKZ), Stadtwerk Winterthur and Axpo have shares in Spain or are investing in the construction of solar and wind systems.
Axpo and Alpiq praise Spain as “exemplary”
Energie Wasser Bern, for example, has almost doubled Spain’s electricity production to 73 gigawatt hours (GWh) annually since 2018; This corresponds to the annual electricity consumption of approximately 15,000 Swiss households. Until five years ago, EKZ did not have its own facilities in Spain; Today they already produce 50 GWh and have two more photovoltaic systems under construction. The same goes for two major electricity traders, Axpo and Alpiq, which have over 10 GWh of generation in their portfolios.
Axpo is recently building a photovoltaic system and Alpiq has two ongoing construction projects. Both praise Spain as an “exemplary” in solar and wind energy production. “The expansion of solar energy in Spain is also relevant for Switzerland, as it contributes to climate-friendly electricity production in Europe and therefore holistically strengthens the security of energy supply,” Axpo writes.
Spain expropriates homeowners
In southern Europe, this means the coffers are (temporarily) full, but it also means red heads (permanently): the coffers are full because foreign investors are putting their money into wind farms and photovoltaic systems. Red heads because everything is happening so quickly and uncontrollably. Tens of thousands of olive trees have been cleared across the country to install large solar or wind power plants. Systems that would have no chance in Switzerland due to population density. There are also hundreds of families who sold their homes and agricultural lands under pressure from regional governments or network operators. If the owners do not agree, it will be expropriated without further ado.
That’s why there is resistance. Environmental organizations and neighbors of wind or solar parks say people want renewable energy, but they want it at no cost. Countless animals are losing their habitat due to large-scale facilities, endangering biodiversity in the country. People are threatened by loss of income in agriculture and tourism. They have already taken their dissatisfaction to the streets and to politics. A year ago, 70 municipalities in Andalusia called for a construction moratorium on major projects, but to no avail. The application was immediately rejected by the regional parliament.
“Colonial self-image”
Urban planner and environmental activist Alberto Matarán speaks of “a colonial self-image in which rich countries and corporations in the north skim local resources through local intermediaries.” “The electricity generated here ultimately flows into Central and Northern Europe to meet growing needs, including the electrification of infrastructure.” Matarán says an energy transition is needed due to the climate emergency, but it can only be accompanied by less consumption. “This is where the northern countries are in demand, after all, they are the main consumers.”
Matarán and his team at the University of Granada compiled the figures for the book “Colonialismo energético”, published in spring 2023. This makes it clear that Spain’s solar and wind energy capacities are already higher than its own annual consumption; but they are still expected to increase eightfold (solar) and almost threefold (wind) by 2030. Similar to the North Sea, new construction is planned in the Mediterranean.
“Electricity companies pay up to five times more”
A particularly large amount of money is currently flowing to the region of Castile and Leon near Madrid, where the European Investment Bank and Swiss pension funds are also investing. Around billions of dollars. Axpo is also building one of the largest solar energy systems; It accounts for one-tenth of the surface area of the city of Uster ZH and is expected to one day meet the annual electricity needs of more than 76,000 Spanish households.
The region of Castile and Leon was long considered the breadbasket of Europe, but today it is one of the poorest parts of the country. Like other surrounding regions, it is struggling with aging and migration. “A retired couple chooses to lease their land to an international energy company rather than to a local farmer,” says travel expert and environmental activist Oscar Navajo Ruiz. “They still pay very little, but they often pay up to five times more.”
Planned projects will not be published
Oscar Navajo Ruiz lives in Celada de la Torre, a village of several dozen residents. He and other neighbors are defending themselves legally against one of the wind turbines. It’s not being built on behalf of a Swiss company, but Ruiz’s challenge clearly illustrates the problem.
Since the beginning of 2023, the responsible authority no longer publishes planned projects; this is a practice that has become established elsewhere in Spain. Citizens can only be informed about a project when the planning phase is completed. There are also questionable environmental impact assessments. In the case of the wind project in question, the authority warned of a “high risk of mortality for avifauna and protected bat species” but later approved the system. “All projects in our area are accepted,” says Oscar Navajo Ruiz, and asks: “Why don’t we protect our landscape like in Germany and install photovoltaic systems on top of the existing infrastructure?”
One of the Swiss companies that produces the most energy from solar and wind in Spain is Basel-based Aventron, in which Primeo Energie, Energie Wasser Bern and Stadtwerk Winterthur also own shares.
“Everything is very well organized”
According to CEO Eric Wagner, he has heard nothing about construction moratoriums or expropriations due to new solar and wind farms. Aventron’s three factories in Spain were built before the energy crisis. At the moment we still have individual projects and we want to focus more on Switzerland because of the better conditions. “The approval process in Spain may be a little faster in some places, but everything is well regulated, including environmental impact assessments.”
Axpo emphasizes that it understands the arguments of local politicians regarding the rapid expansion of solar systems. “But it is important to find a balance between the urgency of transitioning to renewable energy and ensuring a sustainable, organized approach.” Axpo Solar Iberia relies on constructive dialogue with all concerned, including local authorities. “We recognize the importance of a measured and well-planned expansion of solar infrastructure that takes into account environmental impact assessments, community feedback, and long-term sustainability goals.”
Security of supply: Problems lie elsewhere
The question remains to what extent electricity from the Iberian Peninsula contributes to security of supply in Switzerland. Answer: partially. Spain feeds its electricity into the European grid, thus contributing to overall stability. However, when it comes to Switzerland, immediate neighboring countries are of particular interest. The Federal Electricity Commission (ElCom) says: “Spain can only make an indirect contribution to security of supply in Switzerland.”
In general, in the European electricity market, production is one thing, transportation and imports are another, and Switzerland’s hands are partly tied in this regard. ElCom says: “If we are not sufficiently integrated into the mechanisms of the European electricity market, our import capacity risks being significantly reduced.” It is therefore important to strive for a corresponding framework agreement and therefore an electricity agreement with the EU. However, such an electricity deal is not yet foreseeable as Switzerland is currently struggling to reset its bilateral relations with the EU.
Source :Blick
I’m Tim David and I work as an author for 24 Instant News, covering the Market section. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, my mission is to provide accurate, timely and insightful news coverage that helps our readers stay informed about the latest trends in the market. My writing style is focused on making complex economic topics easy to understand for everyone.
