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While delayed, geothermal project in Lavey, Switzerland to go forward

While delayed, geothermal project in Lavey, Switzerland to go forward Source: AGEPP/ Régis Colombo/ www.diapo.ch
Alexander Richter 19 Sep 2019

The planned geothermal power project in Lavey in the Canton of Vaud in Switzerland is delayed and now plans the start of drilling for 2021, with the local municipality as shareholder in the project.

Geothermal development in Lavey in the Canton of Vaud in Switzerland has seen some delays. Now the Municipality wants to invest CHF 369,000 ($370k) in the company that will build the future power station. Scheduled for next year, drilling will only start in 2021.

The company AGEPPE wants to draw water at 110 ° to more than 2000 m under the soil of Lavey-les-Bains and Saint-Maurice.

It will take a few more months for Lavey to reveal its geothermal potential. Initially announced for the spring of 2020, the drilling which targets a depth of 2,300 m for hot water required for the production of 4.2 million kWh per year will start a year later.

“This new schedule allows us to coordinate this project with the one we are conducting alongside Vinzel,” explains Jean-François Pilet, Director of AGEPP SA (Alpine Geothermal Power Production). This will enable us to achieve significant economies of scale. ”

Both cases have now passed the investigation. With a budget of CHF26.5 million (ca. $26.7m), the plant that will come out of the ground in Chablais must produce the equivalent of the electricity consumption of 900 households.

In the immediate future, the Municipality of Lavey-Morcles intends to confirm its support for this source of renewable energy. If its municipal council accepts it at the end of the month, the municipality will become shareholder of AGEPP. It wishes to invest 108,500 francs in the company as share capital, to which will be added 260,400 francs in the form of a shareholder loan.

In total, the municipality will invest nearly CHF 369,000 in geothermal energy. Less than the CHF500,000 initially envisaged: “This decrease is explained by an increase in subsidies granted by the Federal Office of Energy to the project, explains the trustee, Yvan Ponnaz. Our stake in AGEPP remains unchanged. “That is 2.17% of the CHF17 million that make up the entity. The company SI-REN, owned by the City of Lausanne, EOS and Holdigaz will be the main shareholders with more than 60% shares.

The Rococo Building is convinced of the relevance of the deep geothermal drilling project. “It’s clean, renewable energy. In addition, we know that our basement contains hot water (note: this aquifer also feeds the Bains de Lavey). This drilling will provide lessons for other projects in the pipeline. “The Canton hopes to see emerging about 20 geothermal power plants on its territory by 2050.

Source: 24heures