According to the experts, the installation of solar parks in the Alps would make it possible to generate a large proportion of electricity in winter, a period when electricity supply is most problematic.
Christian Schaffner, Director of the Center for Energy Sciences at the Institute of Technology of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, commented to Swiss German Television (SRF):
“With the Alps enjoying very good sunshine, it would be possible to generate electricity above the clouds.”
He also sees two additional advantages: the fact that the efficiency of photovoltaic panels seems to be more effective at low temperatures, and the opportunity to mount the panels vertically to capture both the sun’s rays and their reflection on snow and ice.
The costs involved in installing solar farms at altitude, the appropriate locations, the assessment of the economic benefits and, above all, the environmental impact are all questions that remain unanswered.
