Basel-Landschaft awards licences for hydropower
The canton of Basel-Landschaft has identified six locations for new hydropower plants with a capacity of up to 10 megawatts on the Birs and Ergolz rivers. Interested companies can now apply for a licence.
The canton of Basel-Landschaft has included six locations for new small hydropower plants on the Birs and Ergolz rivers in the cantonal structure plan, the Basel-Landschaft Department of Construction and Environmental Protection announced in a press release. The designation was made in accordance with a corresponding requirement of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications. In Switzerland, small hydropower plants are defined as plants with an output of up to 10 megawatts that use the energy of small rivers for decentralised electricity generation.
The Cantonal Office for Environmental Protection and Energy(AUE) is responsible for awarding licences. The exact locations of the planned hydropower plants can be found in the press release. Interested companies are invited to submit a request for information online. The AUE will then determine the award procedures for the individual sites.
The canton of Basel-Landschaft has set itself the goal of covering 70 per cent of its energy consumption, excluding mobility, from renewable sources by 2030. The planned six small hydropower plants should contribute to the realisation of this goal.