A cold mountain sounds like an unlikely hotspot for solar energy.
But think of all that white snow and ice – and the sunlight bouncing off it. This reflective ability of light surfaces is called the ‘albedo effect’ – and is why a solar farm in the Swiss Alps is able to produce as much solar radiation as in the desert.
On Switzerland’s border with Italy, more than 1,800 metres above sea level, Lac des Toules reservoir is home to the world’s highest floating solar farm.
It can produce 50% more power than lower-altitude plants because of stronger solar radiation, according to Romande Energie, the Swiss power company behind the project.
The pilot project produces 800,000 kilowatt hours of energy a year, enough to power more than 220 homes.
In 2022, the plan is to expand the farm’s panel capacity to generate 22 million kilowatt hours – equivalent to the average consumption of 6,100 households.