As reported in June 2022, SFS is planning to build a wind turbine on the company premises at the Heerbrugg site. With this project, SFS wants to fulfill its responsibility towards the environment and society and secure future-oriented jobs in the region. The company is thus making its contribution to achieving national climate targets and strengthening energy independence.
SFS builds wind measurement mast
As part of the planning for the projected wind turbine, SFS has built a wind measurement mast at the planned location on the company premises in Heerbrugg. The mast, which is almost 100 m high, records information on wind and weather conditions over a period of one year. Based on the results of the one-year measurement phase, the application for the construction of the wind turbine will then be submitted in 2024.
Wind energy plant complements existing photovoltaic plant
The planned wind energy plant is to complement the existing photovoltaic plants at the site. The expected annual energy yield is around 5 GWh, which corresponds to the consumption of approximately 1ʼ300 households. In total, SFS will thus be able to produce 20% of its own energy requirements in Switzerland. A further 10% of energy production is to be obtained in the next few years through the use of additional photovoltaic systems at other Swiss locations, so that SFS could produce around 30% of the energy it requires in Switzerland independently and renewably in the future. According to comprehensive preliminary clarifications, the site in the industrial area in Heerbrugg is predestined for the construction of a wind energy plant. As part of the approval process, the specific conditions at the planned site are now being verified with the aid of a wind measuring mast.
Wind measurement mast delivers important results
The wind measuring mast was built on the company's premises in Heerbrugg on July 27, 2022, and will provide important information for the concretization of the project during a one-year measuring campaign. To this end, the nearly 100 m high mast is equipped with various measuring points at different heights that collect data on wind, temperature and humidity. At the top there is also a sensor that records the sounds of bats in the surrounding area in order to determine the bat population around the site. Once the measurement phase is complete and the data collected has been analyzed, SFS plans to submit an application to construct the facility in 2024.
