The Romande Energie companyExternal link unveiled the first part of its floating solar project in Bourg-Saint-Pierre on Wednesday after six years of exploratory work.
The installation consists of 2,240 square metres of solar panels sitting on a 36-part aluminium and polyethylene frame anchored to the bed of the mountain lake. The frame can rise and fall according to the water level and can support up to 50cm of snow.
As the lake – an artificial dammed construction – sits at 1,810 metres above sea level, extreme weather conditions, including the freezing of the lake itself, are to be expected.
However, the stronger UV rays and reflections from the surrounding snow mean that the panels can produce up to 50% more energy than a similar installation on low-lying land.
In their current test phase the panels are expected to produce enough annual energy to power 220 average households. If the project is deemed to be feasible after a two-year trial period, the park will be enlarged to produce power for some 6,100 households.
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Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
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St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
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Swiss electricity getting greener
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Alpine solar panels could address Swiss energy gap
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New findings from the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) and Lausanne’s Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) suggest that alpine photovoltaic (PV) systems can provide a home-grown means of replacing a significant amount of lost power – particularly in winter. This is because mountains often poke above low-lying fog and panels at high…
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.