Opposition to Valais solar project: Pro Natura Valais objects to Gondosolar

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The nature conservation association Pro Natura Valais has filed an objection against the photovoltaic project at Gondo VS. The environmental impact report of the planned Gondosolar project shows significant gaps.

This makes it impossible to investigate impairments and an adequate weighing of interests. In particular, studies on amphibians, reptiles, bats and butterflies were lacking, the association complained in a press release on Tuesday.

The data situation is also still very poor for certain bird species, such as the black grouse. Pro Natura Valais requires these studies to be carried out before a permit is granted.

There is no overarching general planning

The association also criticizes the fact that the canton of Valais does not have an overarching overall plan to select the most suitable locations for large-scale photovoltaic systems. There has also been no round table to date, although one was announced in October 2023 for the first quarter of 2024.

This shortcoming is illustrated in the current project. “A facility should be built at every location in the middle of unspoilt nature, without checking whether there are other places where smaller interventions in nature and the landscape are necessary and which can be carried out more cheaply,” the association writes.

2200 solar trees planned

The initiators of the project submitted the building permit application with the environmental impact assessment to the cantonal building committee last December. It was the first of the numerous Alpine solar park projects in Valais to take this step.

The project sponsor announced at the time that it expected the building permit in mid-2024, which means that the objection could now lead to a postponement.

The system with approximately 2,200 solar trees must be built above Gondo at an altitude of more than 2,000 meters on an area of ​​17.4 hectares. According to the project sponsors, it will produce an average of about 22.1 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity per year. (SDA)

Source:Blick