Axpo plans to construct an alpine solar plant in Glarus Süd

23.11.2023 - Following the full commissioning of Switzerland’s largest alpine solar plant to date in the municipality of Glarus Süd in August 2022, Axpo now plans to build a 10 MWp solar plant in the same region. The plant is intended to provide essential winter electricity and add value to the community. With this sixth alpine solar project, Axpo is consistently driving its solar initiative forward.

Axpo plans to construct an alpine ground-mounted system with an output of 10 MWp in the municipality of Glarus Süd. The solar plant will be installed on an area of around 120,000 square metres in an alpine environment in the Friiteren region and is expected to produce around 13 GWh of electricity annually, corresponding to the electricity consumption of over 3,000 households.

The solar plant planned for the canton of Glarus will comprise around 36,000 solar modules and will be assembled as an innovative structure with 8 to 12 modules on what are known as module tables. Measuring around 3 metres above ground in height with an inclination of up to 70 degrees, the plant will be customised for the special requirements of the alpine and mountain farming environment. The required land will remain usable as pasture after construction. This plant will take advantage of the excellent levels of solar radiation at around 1,500 metres above sea level and supply essential electricity, especially during the winter months.

In August 2022, Axpo and IWB commissioned the largest alpine solar plant installed in Switzerland to date in the municipality of Glarus Süd. This 2.2 MWp plant has so far provided a wealth of beneficial experience. With the announcement of its sixth alpine solar project, Axpo is consistently advancing the solar initiative it announced back in autumn 2022, and is continuing to drive sustainable energy production in Switzerland forward.

An important partnership between Axpo and the municipality

“I am delighted that we are now tackling another project with the municipality of Glarus Süd in addition to our important Limmern pumped storage plant and what is currently the largest alpine solar plant,” says Oliver Hugi, Head of Axpo Solar Switzerland. “The outstanding cooperation we have enjoyed with the municipality of Glarus Süd underlines the commitment of both parties to promoting a sustainable electricity supply in Switzerland,” continues Hugi.

The Glarus Süd local council also supports the work we are doing with this project: “The construction of the plant allows us to not only generate essential income for the municipality, but also assume our responsibility as a community to further develop renewable energies,” says the responsible local councillor Stefan Maduz, Head of the Department of Economic and Financial Affairs. He adds: “The local council believes that it is also important for the alpine economy to ultimately benefit from such a project.”

Further information on the Axpo solar offensive as well as the alpine solar projects “Ovra Solara Rueun”, “Ovra Solara Camplauns”, “Alpin Solar Ybrig”, “Ovra Solara Magriel” and “NalpSolar” communicated as part of the solar offensive can be found here.