New solar plant approved on former landfill site
The Basel-based energy supplier IWB has received authorisation to build a solar plant on the former landfill site in Liesberg. From spring 2026, solar power for around 1000 households will be generated from here.
The Basel-based energy supplier IWB has received planning permission for the construction of a solar plant on the former Hinterm Chestel landfill site in Liesberg. The investment decision is expected to be made at the beginning of 2025, according to a press release. Following a swift start to construction, the first solar power, which can supply around 1,000 households, is expected to flow as early as spring 2026.
7,600 solar modules are to be installed on an area of 25,000 square metres. This corresponds to an installed capacity of 3.4 megawatts. The system will be installed at a certain height so that green areas can continue to be cultivated below. This should also benefit local biodiversity.
“It is important to us that the plant is realised in an environmentally friendly way. For this reason, we deliberately integrated existing natural objects during the planning phase in coordination with KELSAG,” Daniel Neuenschwander, Project Manager for large-scale photovoltaic systems at IWB, is quoted as saying in the press release. KELSAG (Kehrichtbeseitigung Laufental-Schwarzbubenland AG) is the owner of the landfill site and will make the area available for up to 50 years.
The habitat of various animal species is also taken care of. “We closely involved nature and environmental organisations in this project right from the start. That was the recipe for success for a balanced project: the concerns of electricity production and biodiversity are given equal consideration,” says Neuenschwander.