Federal government wants faster expansion of renewables
The Federal Council wants to accelerate the expansion of large-scale power plants for renewable energies. To this end, the procedures for planning and construction are to be streamlined and the appeal process shortened. A corresponding decree will now go to parliament.
The Federal Council wants to accelerate the expansion of renewable energy production. To this end, the procedures for planning and building large-scale power plants are to be shortened, the Federal Council informs in a press release. At its meeting on 21 June, it passed a corresponding amendment to the Energy Act for the attention of parliament.
According to the amendment, the cantons alone will now be responsible for a concentrated planning approval procedure for solar and wind energy plants of national interest. The Federal Council explains that this prevents a project from being divided into several stages that can be challenged individually. For hydroelectric power plants, the current tried and tested procedure is to be retained.
The cantons are instructed to designate suitability areas for solar and wind energy plants in the structure plan. Such facilities of national interest will then no longer need a project-related basis in the cantonal structure plan. The protection of landscape, biotopes, forest, cultivated land and crop rotation areas is to be taken into account when designating the areas.
In addition, the Federal Council wants to shorten the appeal process in connection with the planning and construction of solar, wind and hydropower plants. In future, only one appeal to the highest cantonal court will be possible at cantonal level. The group of persons entitled to appeal will be limited to the cantons and municipalities where the plants are located and to organisations active throughout Switzerland, such as WWF or Pro Natura.
With regard to the expansion of the electricity grid, the Federal Council’s plans foresee a waiver of the definition of a planning area. Instead, the planning corridor is to be defined directly in the sectoral planning.