AlpinSolar Switzerland's largest alpine solar plant
Axpo, together with IWB, has completed Switzerland's largest alpine solar plant at 2,500 meters above sea level. The plant is fully operational since the end of August 2022. The pioneering AlpinSolar project produces 3.3 gigawatt hours of electricity per year - half of it in winter - and is a pioneering project in Axpo's current solar offensive in Switzerland. In this way, we use solar energy in every season and defy the sea of fog.
The project in numbers
Megawatt
installed capacity
Gigawatt hours
Annual production
Solar modules
installed on the dam wall
In a nutshell
Our plant at the Muttsee dam in the canton of Glarus produces on average up to five times more electricity in the winter months than solar plants in the Central Plateau.
Advantages
- Almost always above the fog line
- Strong reflection of solar radiation by snow, also due to bifacial solar panels
- Lower temperatures make the panels more efficient
From construction to realization
Since the Muttsee dam is not accessible for road transport, the plant components were brought to the dam by helicopter. The CO₂ footprint resulting from the use of the helicopter was already offset within a few months of plant operation. A total of 730 tonnes of material were delivered to Tierfehd, staged there and transported to the dam by helicopter.
We are proud to have realized Switzerland's largest alpine solar plant, advancing the energy transition with strong partners.Christoph Brand, CEO Axpo Gruppe
Fun facts
At 2500 meters above sea level you are very close to nature. There you “only” meet hikers, ibexes and our dear fox.
