Save the Prealps

Despite the refusal of the Federal Supreme Court in 2016 to authorize a zoning change in order to build an industrial wind farm on the Black Lake peaks (Schwyberg) in the Fribourg Prealps, the latter are still threatened by the maintenance of the site in the canton of Fribourg wind energy master plan and a new project unveiled by the developer last summer.

TOGETHER we can save the Fribourg Prealps from this threat to their beautiful landscapes and wildlife. You only need a few minutes to inform yourself and express your opposition to the industrialization of the peaks of the jewels of nature that are the Fribourg Prealps by signing our petition. As well as inviting your acquaintances, your friends, your family to do the same (by making them a copy of this message or the link of the petition)!

Since the publication of its "Aeolian Concept" in 2008, the Canton of Friborg has given up all the sites considered as potentially suitable for industrial wind farms in the Fribourg Prealps, with the notable exception of a alone, that of the ridges of the Schwyberg, above the Black Lake, in high Sense. All other sites were excluded from the canton of Fribourg wind turbine master plan because of their considerable impact on wildlife and the landscape as well as their insufficient potential (wind, yields, costs).

The sites of Berra and Cousimbert - with particularly similar characteristics and geographically very close to the Schwyberg - have also been excluded from the State Council's draft master plan. It has been more than ten years now that the promoters of the Schwyberg project (Greenwatt Group E (property of the State of Fribourg) and municipalities of Planfayon and Plasselb) have proved incapable of demonstrating the compatibility of an industrial wind farm site in Schwyberg. with environmental protection legislation, and the profitability of their project (failure of wind measurements).

Both the canton and the promoters met with the unequivocal veto of the Confederation for the integration of Schwyberg in the master plan. The Federal Court refused his approval for a change of occupation of the Schwyberg ridges in 2016. The Federal Council has this summer indicated its refusal to validate the status of the same site belonging to the wind power plan of the canton of Fribourg, the latter having still not demonstrated its compatibility with the law in terms of protection of the environment.

Despite these refusals, the developers announced this summer their intention to launch a new wind farm project on the Schwyberg, with wind turbines even larger than those planned in the initial project of 2007, reaching a height of more than 200 meters by machine!

The debate on the Fribourg master plan at the Grand Council on September 12 sparked controversy over a subject that is becoming increasingly divisive. Even some wind energy advocates in our canton have recognized that the Schwyberg site may not be the most appropriate location. Both the Council of State and the Board of Directors of Group E are divided on this subject and there is growing doubt with the repeated refusals of the Confederation and the repeated opposition of the major environmental associations, all opposed to the Schwyberg project.

It has only lasted too long. It is time to turn the page on a "false good idea" by excluding once and for all (as have already done Bavaria, the cantons of Bern and Vaud) the Prealps of the wind turbines master plan of the canton of Friborg while starting to really invest in alternatives for green electricity (efficiency, solar, green power imports, biomass, geothermal energy).

Save the Prealps

More information on our website and our Facebook page

See also on the same subject the opinion of Benoît Aymon (director of the programm "Passe-moi les jumelles" ("Pass me the binoculars") on RTS TV)