Gries Topping-out Ceremony (30.09.2011)

Swiss Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard took part in the topping-out ceremony on September 30 for the pilot project at Gries (Valais) of the wind power plant that was at a height of 2,465 metres and consequently the highest in Europe. Martin Senn, founder of SwissWinds, had overcome this technological challenge and it can be said that up to then, there were few entrepreneurs in Europe that had taken such a risk. After a testing and adjustment phase that will last for several months, the wind power plant, an Enercon E-70, is to produce 3 GWh per annum – which corresponds to the consumption of 800 households.

This pilot project was praised by Swiss Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard during the topping-out ceremony: “The canton of Valais is taking a great step in the direction of a renewable future. As a hi-tech country we can position ourselves very well in an environment within which natural resources and energy are becoming sparse for the consumer. If we wish to have future provision of electrical power and energy that is clean, secure, preponderantly Swiss and economical for the people and industry in this country, then we must act now. The Swiss government has already outlined that conversion is technically possible if we organise it carefully and if we have 25 to 30 years time. Calculations by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology have confirmed it. “The head of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) was accompanied by Jean-Michel Cina, Valais Cantonal Councillor and chairman of the Department for the Economy, Energy and Regional Development. Jean-Michel Cina underscored the fact that “the energy challenge had to be overcome by a convergence of political, industrial and individual efforts. Everybody, be they a political decision-maker, energy provider or private household, has their role to play in order to maintain a safe and respectful provision to our living environment.”

The highest wind power plant in Europe is technological peak performance in every sense of the word. First of all, Martin Senn had a special vehicle with the nickname of “centipede” developed. This articulated low-loader was necessary in order to transport the 35 m long turbine blades from Airolo in Ticino to the Nufenen Pass in Valais. Without this innovative vehicle, the wind power plant could never have been erected at this ideal location at 2,465 m up near the dam wall at Gries where the site selected permitted use of the existing power lines.

It was also indicated by numerous preliminary studies that such an installation would not be intrusive to flora or fauna. The plant can be relatively well integrated into the landscape and respects the environment, which was important to the planners.
Because of the extreme weather conditions that prevail in winter at this altitude, the wind power plant ultimately had to be fitted with an economic heating system in order to keep the turbine blades free of snow and ice and consequently mobile.
The inhabitants of Goms and the cantonal authorities supported this technological challenge with their best efforts and the environmental associations were consulted right from the start of planning.
The total costs of the highest wind power plant in Europe run to CHF 5.5 mill. High altitude wind power pioneer Martin Senn enlisted support from the energy providers EnAlpin and Services Industriels de Genève in order to jointly finance this project.

The municipality of Obergoms, which is also participating in this innovative project, will profit from the economic profits of the Gries wind power plant and together, the partners have united as the company GriesWind AG in order to develop this infrastructure in Upper Valais.
A testing and adjustment phase that will last for several months will be necessary in order to make this wind power plant operational and it will be connected to the network at the beginning of 2012. Over the coming years, four or five further wind power plants will be erected in Gries.

As wind power plants exclusively generate energy with wind power, this energy is clean, unlimited and inexhaustible and its ecological balance is excellent. As the highest wind power plant in Europe, this pilot project in Gries is dedicated to the sustainable and respectful development of the environment.

(30.09.2011)