l'Actualité du Solaire

Swiss company Axpo is installing 2 MW of solar power on the walls of the water reservoir in Muttsee (canton of Glarus, Switzerland) at an altitude of 2,500 metres. The panels in the upper row have an inclination of 77°, while the lower row would be set at 51 degrees of inclination.

Several studies show that PV systems in mountainous regions can produce a lot of electricity, even in winter. Axpo estimates that during the winter months, the system will supply around half of its annual electricity production, compared with around a quarter of the annual production of similarly sized plants in the relatively flat lowlands of Switzerland. The absence of fog is one of the many advantages of high-altitude projects, as clear skies mean more solar radiation. The panels are also more efficient at low temperatures, in addition to the advantages of the bifacial effect of snow.

If this project lives up to expectations, it will help mitigate the seasonal decline in electricity generation in winter due to fog, clouds and lower levels of solar radiation.

Swissolar, the photovoltaic association, estimates that a total of 50 GW of photovoltaic capacity will be installed to meet Switzerland's future energy needs, replacing fossil fuels in the context of the gradual reduction in nuclear capacity. This amount of solar energy is 25 times more than the country has already installed to date.

PV Magazine of 28 November

Editor's note This experiment only goes in the direction of a search for the best ways to produce energy with the panels. All the tests are carried out. We had the panels laid vertically, installed them five metres above the ground to improve agricultural production, placed them on lakes, soon on the sea, placed the panels to obtain the reflection of the luminosity on the ground (by the albedo)... We are looking in all directions.