To make the most of the available space, high power generation potential during winters and federal support for solar projects in the Swiss Alps, local utilities are increasingly exploring alpine PV plants in Switzerland.
The latest name in the list is EWD Elektrizitätswerk Davos AG that's planning an alpine project of undisclosed capacity in the Parsenn area, on the southern slope of the Totalphorn in Meierhofer Tälli. It is joined by the Municipality of Davos, the municipal utility Allianz Swisspower, and energy supplier IWB for this project.
When fully operational, the project is expected to generate a minimum of 10 GWh/year.
It will come up right in the middle of the ski area where electricity will be required for existing chair lifts and gondolas along with mountain railway infrastructure. Having electricity consumers in the vicinity will reduce transport losses for generated power, according to the project partners.
The promoters refer to the recent ZHAW field study results about the benefits of alpine PV systems (see Swiss Experiment Shows High Potential For Alpine Solar).
For the Davos project, the people will make the final decision in a referendum in December 2023. If cleared, construction is scheduled to begin in 2024 for the facility to start coming online by December 2025.
The IWB is separately planning another alpine PV system on Käserstatt in the Meiringen-Hasliberg ski area with local partners. Current plan is for the 12 MW project to come up on around 17 hectares of land.
To be located at an altitude of between 1,900 meters and 2,100 meters above sea level, it will not be visible from Hasliberg. The project makes economic sense to the promoters as they point at the underground grid connection that was renewed a few years back. At the same time, inverters and transformers can be installed in a structure previously operating as a mountain restaurant. Resulting waste heat can be used to heat buildings in the vicinity.
Panels will be installed high above the ground so these don't sink into the snow and farming can continue unabated. IWB says this is one of the largest PV projects in the country.
While the federal government encourages the use of Swiss Alps to site solar power plants, there is resistance from denizens in some instances. An IWB proposed Melchsee-Frutt Solar Power Plant was rejected by the local alpine cooperative council in September 2023.
Earlier, the Valais Canton also voted against large solar power projects in the alpine region (see Another Alpine Solar Power Plant In Switzerland).