4 wind turbines, 18 years of dispute: why Switzerland is not progressing with wind power

Despite 18 years of planning, a wind power project in Grenchenberg, Switzerland, is once again mired in legal disputes, highlighting the persistent challenges to expanding renewable energy in the country. Just months after a regional court rejected appeals from wind power opponents, the Federal Court has granted a request for suspensive effect to a complaint filed by the Helvetia Nostra foundation, effectively pausing the project.

Lars Losinger, managing director of the municipal utility Stadtwerke Grenchen (SWG), which is responsible for the project, expressed frustration but noted that the team is accustomed to setbacks. "It's trying," he said, adding that after so many years and procedures, "hardly anything surprises us anymore." The latest court decision is expected to delay the start of construction by at least another year, pushing it from the planned 2027 to potentially 2028.

The delays are costly, with Losinger estimating that each additional year of planning incurs hundreds of thousands of Swiss francs in extra expenses. Despite these financial burdens and the prolonged timeline, SWG remains committed to the project. "After eighteen years, it hardly matters whether we work on the project one or two years longer," Losinger stated. "We're seeing it through now."

The Grenchenberg case serves as a microcosm of Switzerland's broader struggle with wind power development. Legal systems continue to provide avenues for nature and landscape conservation groups, such as Helvetia Nostra and Freie Landschaft Schweiz, to challenge planned facilities. While the parliament introduced legislation like the "Windexpress" in 2023 to expedite procedures for projects of national importance, its effectiveness is being tested, as demonstrated by this latest legal entanglement.