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Photo: Oliver Thees, WSL; Reinhard Lässig, WSL
How does the canton of Aargau intend to produce more energy from renewable resources?
Mr. Morier, energy wood in Switzerland has great potential.
What can the canton do to use more energy wood from its forests?
Whether more forest energy wood will be used depends on the wood market and the price of other types of wood, such as hardwood logs and pulpwood. Ultimately, the use of energy wood must be governed by price. The canton cannot and does not want to intervene in the wood market.
Will the growing stock fall if the canton uses an increasing amount of energy wood?
According to the Swiss National Forest Inventory, the total stock in the canton of Aargau decreased by about 6 % between 2004 / 06 and 2009 / 13. In order to sustain the current stock, we have to harvest less stem wood than previously because of the increased use of energy wood. For us, the increased use of energy wood is no reason to reduce the stocks.
As an expert on forests, what do you think about wind turbines in forests?
Wind turbines should be built in places where the wind speed is sufficiently high. Otherwise, it doesn’t make sense. This is the case on Aargau’s hilly terrain. The following areas were set aside for this purpose in the cantonal master plan: Burg, Hochrüti, Hundsrugge, Lindenberg, uf em Chalt. Because of the prohibition
against deforestation in areas with both open spaces and forests, wind turbines are generally built outside forest areas.
What about solar energy? Where should it be produced?
In the canton of Aargau, solar panels could be set up on the roofs of a number of homes, barns and industrial buildings. (rlä)
Wood can be used for energy in a number of different ways.
Alain Morier heads the Forest Division of the Construction, Transport and Environment Depart- ment in the canton of Aargau.
