On wind turbine construction sites, geobiologist dowsers accused of charlatanism

An employee of a wind developer, who wished to remain anonymous, told AFP about a visit by a geobiologist to a project in western France: "the principle was to walk while shaking a plastic rod vertically, when its movement became circular or horizontal, it meant that we were passing at the level of an underground watercourse," he explained.

In 2017, in response to a breeder's fears about the "telluric" currents that wind turbines to be built would generate, a project leader also commissioned a geobiologist. The latter recommended in particular to "inform" the concrete slab before pouring, a method that would make it possible to "restore a vibratory and energetic function to the slab", indicates the report of the investigating commissioner, consulted by AFP.

Among the products used by geobiologists to obtain this "information" from concrete is Pneumatit, whose manufacturer is a partner of the French Federation of Geobiology.

A homeopathic product to be added when pouring the concrete, the manufacturing process of which includes readings of passages from the Bible or "violin music (JS Bach), with a weaving effect by alternating decrescendo and crescendo", details the manufacturer's website.

"Relaxation, regeneration, well-being and stress resistance, even in concrete living and working spaces: this is what Pneumatit® offers you", promises the company, which claims several customers in the wind energy sector.

This phenomenon, highlighted by the videographer investigating pseudo-science G Milgram, has become increasingly common over the past ten years in western France, where many wind turbines are located. "We have been warning about this for years, it is really worrying," laments Robin Dixon of France Renouvelables, the association representing the wind energy sector in France.

Often commissioned by wind power developers at the request of breeders who fear the effects of stray electrical currents for their animals, geobiologists are sometimes commissioned by the chamber of agriculture or the prefecture.

These dowsers call themselves geobiologists, a name borrowed from a subfield of geology. The watercourses, which they believe they can locate thanks to their sensitivity, "carry parasitic currents that cattle, which are very sensitive, can feel," states the website of the French Federation of Geobiology.

"Agreement with the prefect"

"Geobiology is charlatanism, we've known for two centuries that it's a scam," says Sébastien Point, a physicist at the CNRS who dissects pseudosciences. "It gives itself a scientific appearance with jargon, like 'cosmo-telluric chimneys' or 'torsion fields' that don't exist, by mixing it with esotericism."

An accusation that geobiologists dispute. "It's not because there are some crackpots who do whatever they want that we should incriminate an entire profession," replies Bernard Olifirenko, president of the National Confederation of Geobiology.

The Pays de la Loire Chamber of Agriculture mentions on its website the existence in Loire-Atlantique of "a protocol (...)", "in agreement with the prefect", indicating that "any wind turbine company is required before any installation to take charge at its own expense", generally a little over a thousand euros, of "a geobiological diagnosis".

Contacted by AFP, the Loire-Atlantique prefecture confirmed the existence of this protocol, specifying that "the performance of this type of diagnosis is not imposed by prefectural decree."

"This is an example of 'soft law'," argues Robin Dixon of France Renouvelables. "Wind project leaders find themselves obliged to implement this type of diagnosis, otherwise it will be detrimental to them in obtaining authorisation" from the prefecture, believes the ecologist, responsible for the Environment mission.

"Even if all the environmental studies have been carried out, if there is no passage of a druid on the site behind, it can block," explains Robin Dixon.

"A vein"

In 2020, on the wind farm project in the commune of Grand-Auverné in Loire-Atlantique, "a geobiological study was carried out by the company at the request of the prefecture", indicates the report of the investigating commissioner appointed by the prefecture.

"Even if geobiology is not recognized to date, it seems to me indisputable to carry out diagnostics (...) before any project", estimated another investigating commissioner from Loire-Atlantique in 2021.

Geobiology is particularly prevalent in Loire-Atlantique since the turmoil created by the Quatre Seigneurs wind farm, with farmers living nearby warning of major disturbances that they attribute to the wind turbines.

"To date, the issue remains virtually untouched by rigorous scientific studies and results leading to causal links between collective electrical infrastructures and the health of livestock," indicates the National Institute for Agricultural, Food and Environmental Research (INRAE).

In this context, "geobiology is a goldmine," says Robin Dixon. "We are taking advantage of the distress that some breeders may have to graft on a pseudo-science that would bring them benefits."