Energy supply of the future – clash of the geothermal energy in the Jura goes forth … the operator of a planned geothermal power plant will defend itself against the cancellation of the building permit with a communications offensive. The project is in the future energy supply as a lighthouse project.Martin Läubli0 KommentareDas procedures for geothermal development, as provided for in the law, tested in a tunnel in the Bedretto valley. Photo: Pablo Gianinazzi (Keystone)
The planned geothermal power plant in the Jura Haute-Sorne was actually written off already after the Jura government had announced in April, the planning permission to withdraw. Now hope again. The operator of the Geo-energy Suisse is not giving up and trying to save the project, how you communicate today. It should not be chosen the legal way, but factual. She now wants to take the “open and constructive” dialogue with the population. “This was previously denied because of the ongoing process”, says Peter Meier, CEO of Geo-Energie Suisse.
The operator has agreed with the Canton and the municipality the contract, that a monitoring and information Commission is established to provide for the government and the Public during the entire duration of the project “maximum transparency”. The Commission consists of representatives of the Canton, the municipality, the population and of associations. This Committee will now come to the part, after all the procedures are completed. Geo-energy Suisse expects that a dialogue on the disputed issues can be resolved.
electricity for 6,000 households
The competent authorities of the geothermal project, according to investigations on the environmental impact and risk studies in 2015 already approved. Environmental groups had filed no complaints. An appeal of the private page against the special use of the government’s plan was rejected in December 2018 by the Federal court.
After an incident in a similar geothermal project in South Korea, the government requested an additional investigation. The Swiss seismological service gave the project scientifically good grades, and came to the conclusion that the concept and the risk management made in light of the incident in South Korea, no fundamental changes are necessary. Nevertheless, the government was not to convince.
The project threatens to fail now, before all the necessary data for a final assessment. This requires an exploration well to explore the underground. “We need to be sure that we are in a large fracture system,” says Peter Meier. In addition, the project managers will examine the surface seismic. The data would then be assessed by independent national and international experts, according to Meier. “Only then will a final decision about the project.”
For Federal this project is a flagship project for deep geothermal energy in Switzerland. He supports the project with an exploration of the contribution of 64.1 million Swiss francs. The power plant could someday produce power for around 6,000 households. So far, no kilowatt-hour is in Switzerland, geothermal power flowed. The potential of this source of energy should be in accordance with the energy strategy 2050 is so large that about 8 percent of electricity consumption in Switzerland could be covered. The operator stressed that the investment project will generate a “substantial” local value added.
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