Page 39 - DIVA_3_2024_web

international

margins, it meant that we easily risen 400-500
metres. Indeed, we had seven distinctly marked
floors, each of 4-5m high, plus several more
floors leading to the upper gallery to oversee
the turbines, so, I was about right. Imagine our
E building at the UN doubled in width: that is
approximately the size of the plant, but all deep
inside a mountain. Even thinking about it makes
it close to unreal.

However, this is not all. The highest dam,
Muttsee Dam, is not only an engineering
marvel, but it is an energy innovation, albeit a
risky one. As well as being expanded to become
the largest dam in Europe, a recent innovative
project was undertaken. In 2022 it was covered
with 5000 solar panels to collect solar
energy. At this height it is above most
clouds, guaranteeing more solar
energy than would be available at sea
level. Furthermore, the inclination
collects the light reflected off the snow,
so in all it collects three times as much
energy than anything installed at lower
altitude. All this is done without any
damage to the environment, although
there are risks of natural hazards. More
details on this project are given in part
II.

This hydropower plant is definitely one of the
paths to our future of clean and sustainable
energy, with wise and efficient use of mountain
areas that preserves the environment. It is a
living example of how hydro storage power
plants can be developed as efficient and flexible
assets, to address fluctuating power demands
in a financially and environmentally efficient
manner.

The author expresses gratitude to Marianne Figi
from Glarnerland Office, guest relations, who
advised, met us there and helped us to make this
trip possible.

Read about our daring hike to the Limernsee and
about the solar energy garden “above the clouds”
in the next issue.

w w w. d i va i n t e r n at i o n a l . c h