The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has published a report on “Mountains and the energetic transition” in October 2013.
Whereas the EU 2020 strategy is targeting to develop 20% of renewables energies in 2020 and reducing the amount of CO2 produced, mountains can actively contribute to sustainable development. Indeed, a lot of renewable resources (water, sun, wood, wind) are available in mountain areas.
In this report, the Mountain group of the French Committee of the IUCN has listed the different sources of renewable energies, showing their interest and the difficulties of their implementation in mountain areas (pros /cons from an economic and environmental point of view), facing the challenges of the maintenance of the great biodiversity and the protection of natural landscapes.
Before doing any new energy project, the IUCN experts recommend first to do an extensive study impact. Moreover, in this report, they also have developed the following recommendations:
– Solar energy should be developed for individual facilities (recovery of roofs) for thermal and photovoltaic energy, avoiding the creation of solar power plants on bare ground.
– Wind energy should only be considered for a small scale implementation for already urbanized or equipped areas (valley bottoms mostly), well respecting the legislation rules, especially regarding the site’s distance from dwellings. It shouldn’t be implemented in protected areas, where there are a very broad biodiversity or preserved landscapes. These remarks do not apply to very small wind turbines or to self-production which is ideal in isolated areas not connected to the general public network.
– Hydroelectricity should first start with the modernization of existing facilities for a better environmental integration and a higher performance combined with a lower environmental impact. The development of small hydroelectricity facilities remain of interest for isolated areas, which are not-connected to the general public areas.
– Bioenergy should be developed, including electricity and biogas production from anaerobic digestion of agricultural residues, as well as the use of wood-energy (but only if there is a sustainable forest management) for modern heating systems with low-emission.
