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The solar offensive is getting off to a slow start in the mountains. Dozens of solar power plants are already planned in the Alps and the federal government hopes for up to 200 projects across Switzerland in the coming years. But while things are moving forward in the canton of Graubünden, popular sentiment against accelerated approval procedures for solar power plants in the Alps in Valais is putting a dampener on things. Moreover, the Swiss electricity grid cannot yet accommodate the desired turbo expansion, because the necessary network capacity is sometimes lacking in the mountains.
This makes other approaches to obtaining solar energy all the more important. The Solar Express should therefore also leave in the lowlands – by bike! This is demanded by national councilor Raphaël Mahaim (39), who is fighting for the vacant seat in the Council of States in Vaud. The Greens want to “quickly transform large areas into solar cycle paths” throughout Switzerland, as he suggests in a proposal. He mainly pays attention to agricultural freight routes in agricultural areas and small municipal routes. As with the Solar Express in the mountains, he also wants to implement accelerated approval procedures for solar cycle paths in the lowlands.
Cover sealed surfaces
“Electricity production via solar energy has great potential,” Mahaim emphasizes. Agriculture could also benefit from this if solar cycle paths are constructed. The idea: “Existing and already closed areas would be covered with solar energy systems that would also provide shade on the cycle paths,” says de Vaudois. In addition, hedges and shrubs could be planted along the cycle paths to promote biodiversity.
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The idea has already been implemented not only in the Scandinavian countries, but also in Switzerland. The first local solar cycle path was inaugurated this year in Satigny GE. A 200-meter-long solar roof is expected to provide approximately 200,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually.
Mahaim points to a study showing that there are 65,000 kilometers of such trails in Switzerland. If just 2,000 kilometers of this were converted into solar cycle paths, 2 terawatt hours of electricity could be generated annually. The new solar power plants in Alpine, which the federal government wants to subsidize, are expected to generate just as much.
New legislation makes it easier
In its statement, the Federal Council considers the idea of the solar path to be interesting. “Such systems can be one of many building blocks to install the necessary new production capacities for renewable energy as quickly as possible,” writes the department of SVP Energy Minister Albert Rösti (56).
With last year’s revised spatial planning regulation, the Federal Council also “introduced a more generous approval practice.” He makes it clear that sensible solar path projects can usually already be approved under current legislation.
The so-called cascode decree is also intended to provide more space for solar energy systems outside building zones, meaning that solar paths “in insensitive or pre-polluted areas are usually eligible for spatial approval”.
The conclusion: “The federal framework for spatial planning makes the realization of meaningful solar path projects possible.” That means: clear the way for the Solarweg Express!
Source:Blick
I am Liam Livingstone and I work in a news website. My main job is to write articles for the 24 Instant News. My specialty is covering politics and current affairs, which I’m passionate about. I have worked in this field for more than 5 years now and it’s been an amazing journey. With each passing day, my knowledge increases as well as my experience of the world we live in today.
