Grisons are planning wind farms in ski resorts

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Descending the slope on skis while a wind turbine hums next door? Up to 30 wind farms are being built in the canton of Graubünden – also in the world-famous ski areas. This is what the environmental association Freie Landschaft Schweiz writes in a statement.

The union fears that Switzerland will be completely flooded with wind turbines and is therefore sounding the alarm. He bases himself on a study in which the canton of Graubünden evaluated possible locations for wind farms. And indeed: of the 52 areas examined, about 30 turned out to be more or less suitable.

Many projects directly in ski areas

The list of possible locations includes names that every passionate skier in Switzerland knows: the Crap Sogn Gion near Flims-Laax is there, as well as the Jakobshorn near Davos and the Weisshorn above Arosa.

Some of the suitable locations are in the middle of the ski areas. Which is not surprising from a scientific point of view: the wind blows well at these heights, the slopes are already built on and there are also power lines.

Unesco line with a view of the mill?

Only: the view of tourism can be seriously affected by wind turbines. Because is the Bernina line really still suitable for UNESCO World Heritage in view of wind turbines?

In the tourist canton, however, the reactions are positive. “The (tourist) eye has become accustomed to high-voltage lines, masts and cable car systems. We will also get used to wind turbines and solar panels,” said Marion Schmitz, spokeswoman for Arosa Tourism.

sustainability and trust in politics

Of course, tourist destinations are also very interested in beautiful, untouched mountains. However, they are less critical of wind farms than Freie Landschaft Schweiz. On the contrary: “As an entire holiday region, we are very concerned about sustainability,” says Roger Kreienbühl, spokesman for the Samnaun, Unterengadin and Val Müstair tourism region. “That’s why we support such projects where they make sense”. And a “pavement” of previously undeveloped nature wouldn’t do that, Arosa spokeswoman Schmitz clarifies. “We would like Arosa Tourism to have very carefully checked a placement in an area not used by tourists.”

Andreas Züllig (65), chairman of Hotelleriersuisse and himself a hotelier in Lenzerheide, would find it “desirable that the wind farms be located at locations where an infrastructure already exists and the power plants are very efficient.” But he puts his full trust in the Graubünden government.

“Rather 19 than 30 wind farms”

Probably rightly so: on request, the canton corrects the number of 30 turbines from sight to 19 to 25. Because the study is only a site evaluation, it was examined where the wind yield is particularly high, where there are few protected areas and a lot of infrastructure and what the costs benefit ratio. 19 locations received priority A and another six locations received priority B.

In addition, the 400 gigawatt hours of extra electricity that the canton wants to produce with the wind turbines could already be realized with half of the 19 priority A locations. So it will probably not be 30 wind farms. And next season there will certainly not be a mill next to the track: the areas must first be included in the cantonal structure plan.

This is still in consultation until the end of June before the cantonal government and the Grand Council decide on this. So nothing is set in stone yet. Graubünden Tourismus also sees it this way: «Up to now, it was only about evaluating the locations. We do not assume that all these projects will actually be carried out,” spokesperson Luzi Bürkli told Blick.

Source:Blick