Landscape picture of the Tous Vents Wind farm project
Wind power

The Tous-Vents project

The Tous-Vents wind farm will install 7 wind turbines on the border between the districts of Gros-de-Vaud and Nord Vaudois. With its renewable energy production, it will contribute to supplying the canton with safe, local and sustainable energy.

Wind turbine technology, which is particularly environmentally friendly, is perfectly suited to the Gros-de-Vaud and Nord Vaudois regions. The wind conditions and topography of this region are conducive to responsible wind power development that best protects the interests of the population.

About the Tous-Vents project

The Tous-Vents project involves the installation of seven wind turbines, each with a capacity of 3 to 4 MW. It is being developed by the Lausanne-based energy group Alpiq in partnership with the communes of Essertines-sur-Yverdon, Orzens, Pailly, Ursins and Vuarrens. It is one of the projects selected by the Canton of Vaud in its cantonal master plan.

Faits & Nombres

Wind Farm Project Tous Vents Landscape concept
Location

Région du Grand Bois d’Essertines, Vaud

Number of turbines

7 turbines, Type to be defined

Capacity

21 - 28 MW

Production

15'000 households, 46 - 62 GWh/year

CO₂ saved

60 t/day

Commissioning

unknown

The future wind farm will generate between 46 and 62 million kWh per year, depending on the type of turbine chosen, equivalent to the electricity consumption of around 15,000 households. It will thus make a significant contribution to the Canton of Vaud's green energy supply.

The Tous-Vents wind farm will benefit from cost-covering feed-in tariffs (KEV). The KEV is a federal instrument for promoting renewable energies. It guarantees renewable electricity producers a purchase price for their electricity, thereby covering the financial risk of Tous-Vents over twenty years.

Photomontages

Landscape Tous Vents Wind Farm Project from route Orzens Nonfoux

Route Orzens-Nonfoux: Approximate distance: 500 m. View from the Orzens road towards Nonfoux. The motorist is about to cross the wind farm. This photo illustrates the irregular composition of the Essertines woods following damage caused by storm Lothar in 1999.

Landscape Tous Vents Wind farm project from route Saint Cierges Peyres Possens

Route Saint-Cierges - Peyres-Possens: Approximate distance: 4.9 km. Side view from the cantonal road between Peyre-Possens and Saint-Cierges.

Landscape Tous Vents Wind farm project from sortie Ursins

Exit Ursins: Approximate distance: 730 m. Taken on the outskirts of Ursins on the secondary road between the village and Nonfoux. The wood here also appears moth-eaten and irregular following storm damage in 1999. It will take several decades for the forest to regain a uniform profile.

Landscape Tous Vents Wind farm project from Vuarrens

Vuarrens: Approximate distance: 1.1 km. Taken shortly after Chemin des Enchères on the main road. The orchard belt surrounding the village forms a foreground that masks the base of the wind turbines.

Plan & stages

Project plan

The seven wind turbines are located in the communes of Essertines-sur-Yverdon, Orzens, Pailly and Ursins.Six of them are located on land owned by the communes, to maximize the financial benefits for the communities.Several criteria are decisive in the choice of sites. Among the most important: minimizing nuisance to the population, wind conditions, landscape integration, impact on nature, site access and connection to the power grid.
How to proceed is currently being discussed with the partners.

Project stages

The Tous-Vents project was initiated in 2008.The construction of a Tous-Vents wind farm has an impact on land-use planning and the environment.The procedure therefore calls for a study of the project's impact on the environment and the adoption of an inter-municipal partial allocation plan (PPA) to regulate land use.

Type of wind turbine

The final choice of manufacturer and type of wind turbine will be made following a call for tenders after the planning permission phase. See below anxample of wind turbines that could be installed and a data sheet for a typical wind turbine.

Rated power

3,000 to 4,000 kW

Blade length

40 to 70 m

Mast height

130 to 150 m

Mast diameter at base

~ 13 m

Number of blades

3

Starting wind speed

9 km/h

Cut-off wind speed

100 - 120 km/h

Direction of rotation

clockwise

Foundations

underground

Electrical connection

underground

After construction

Once construction is complete, a wind turbine occupies around 100m2 at ground level. It is connected underground to the existing electricity grid. Its lifespan is certified to be at least 25 years. Throughout the park's operating life, a fixed annual amount is allocated by the operating company to a fund to cover the costs of dismantling the turbines and restoring the sites.

The wind turbines operate fully automatically and are constantly monitored by remote control. Several times a year, a specialized team carries out technical maintenance.

Environment

Responsible development in terms of minimizing the impact on people and the environment requires a number of specific, in-depth studies. As part of the Tous-Vents project, an environmental impact report was drawn up, also covering the population. It was submitted to the various departments of the Canton of Vaud concerned by the future wind farm, who examined and approved it. The following topics were covered: wind, landscape, noise impact, shadow effects, flying fauna, natural environments and vegetation, soil, heritage and radar.

Compensation measures

Several compensation measures are planned as part of this project. These include the reinforcement of the natural landscape structure and biodiversity through the revitalization of large areas of forest, the planting of a high-stem orchard, and the revitalization and creation of hedgerows as part of agricultural ecological networks. A number of measures to preserve the landscape and birdlife are also planned, such as the undergrounding of overhead medium-voltage power lines, and the installation and maintenance of nesting boxes and towers for birds and bats.

Partner municipalities

Message from the Municipalities

"The transition to a society that wastes less energy and uses mainly renewable resources must not remain empty rhetoric. With the Tous-Vents project, our communities and their residents have the opportunity to make a commitment to a responsible electricity supply that complements hydro and solar power generation. Taking an active part in this project means making a major regional contribution to the development of green energies in the canton of Vaud.

The Canton of Vaud

The Tous-Vents wind farm is one of the particularly favorable sites selected by the Canton of Vaud in its cantonal master plan.
 

Between now and 2035, the Canton of Vaud plans to produce between 500 and 1,000 GWh of wind-generated electricity per year, in order to ensure a secure supply that is compatible with environmental protection. With its seven wind turbines, Tous-Vents will make a significant contribution to the canton's objectives. It will increase domestic electricity production by around 6%, and meet between 5 and 11% of the canton's wind power target. It will thus contribute to security of supply and meet the electricity needs of part of the population of the Jura-Nord Vaudois and Gros-de-Vaud regions, with secure, locally-produced, sustainable electricity.

Please reach out

If you have any questions or would like to share your views on the Tous-Vents wind farm, please write to us!

E-Mail

The project developers

Alpiq

The project is being developed by the Lausanne-based energy group Alpiq.

Go to Home Page

KohleNusbaumer SA

The project is being developed with the support of the specialist engineering firm KohleNusbaumer.

More Information

Message from Alpiq

"The Tous-Vents project is very important for Alpiq, one of whose objectives is to develop new renewable energies in Switzerland, both in small hydro and wind power.

In early 2011, Alpiq commissioned its first wind farm in Switzerland, in the canton of Jura. To continue this adventure, Alpiq is carrying out the “Tous-Vents” project in partnership with the communes concerned in this region of Vaud, characterized by its excellent wind conditions."

"Alpiq attaches great importance to exemplary projects, both in terms of protecting the population and integrating the landscape and environment. The production of Tous-Vents will enhance the company's offer in renewable energies and contribute to a supply mix capable of meeting future energy and climate challenges."

Associations supporting wind energy in Switzerland

Suisse Eole

Suisse Eole is the umbrella association promoting the development of wind energy in Switzerland and raising awareness of its ecological, economic and social benefits.

More Information

Groupement Romand pour l'Energie Eolienne GREE

The Groupement Romand pour l'Energie Eolienne (GREE) brings together electricity companies and distributors that are developing the production of renewable energies, in line with the mandate given by the public authorities through the Stratégie Energie 2050.

More Information