Lucerne voters back faster development of wind energy projects

Voters in canton Lucerne in central Switzerland have approved an amendment to the Planning and Construction Act, paving the way for faster development of wind energy projects. The revision was accepted by 68.51% of voters on Sunday, with a turnout of 44.51%. The referendum had been triggered by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, which opposed the amendment. The change streamlines the approval process for large wind energy facilities that generate over 10 gigawatt hours (GWh) annually. Final approval will now be issued at the cantonal level, removing the need for municipal approval or decisions by local assemblies. This cantonal procedure, already in place for road and hydraulic engineering projects, is intended to accelerate the planning and implementation of large wind farms. As part of its energy strategy, the canton aims to produce 250 GWh of wind energy annually by 2050. The People’s Party was the only political group to oppose the change, arguing that centralising the ...