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suited for a photovoltaic plant thanks to its existing
infrastructure, its orientation and its altitude:
• Owing to the alpine location at 2500 metres
above sea level, solar power is particularly effective
and generates lots of power in the winter thanks to
snow reflection and a lower incidence of fog.
• The Muttsee dam faces the south and, as a result,
has sun all day.
• The Muttsee dam has an optimal angle – snow
slides off the surface on its own.
• Only existing infrastructure will be used so that no
additional open space is needed for construction.
• Some of the infrastructure is already in place,
such as the 16 kilovolt grid connection.

Alpine solar power in winter. In winter, Switzerland
produces significantly less power than it consumes,
so power must be imported. This will intensify in
future when nuclear and coal-fired power plants
are taken off grid in Switzerland and abroad. It is Solar plants are often under the fog line during As for me, the driving force to make this daring
therefore important to find solutions to produce winter months, but there is much less fog at high trip and to tell those stories was to contribute to
additional winter power from renewable sources. altitudes. In addition, photovoltaic plants work the sustainable and wise use of our resources,
The large-scale, alpine power plant in the Glarus more efficiently in the cold. Coupled with the not only by expressing my admiration of the
Alps will be vital for this, as it generates 50 per cent albedo effect of snow-reflected sunlight and the mountains or glaciers, and raising awareness of
of its production during winter. favourable angle of the dam, the solar plant at the need for glacier protection, but for something
the at the Muttsee dam in the canton of Glarus more important; the future and the ways forward
advertisment produces on average up to five times more to find a sustainable common future.
electricity in the winter months than solar plants
in the Central Plateau. (I thank my colleague Gertrud Attar, from the
UNWG who took courage to accompany me to
This innovative project is a very sustainable, this daring trip).
green, and environmentally friendly solution, not
damaging the environment, nor landscape, as it
is built onto on an already existing installation.
There are many other dams and similar mountain
installations which could be used the same way.
Interestingly, other than the people directly
involved in the project, the dam is not
particularly well-known. Most of the people
who see it are hikers, either taking photos out
of curiosity, or doing their best to keep the dam
out of shot to capture only the wild landscape,
which is indeed breathtaking. However, I hope
that I have demonstrated the importance of this
project, and hope other people will be inspired
to go and study it and replicate the model in
other high places. This would create more
energy production and use our natural resources
wisely without damaging them. If any of our
international readers are interested, please do
not hesitate to write us. We, at Diva International
Diplomat magazine, would be delighted that our
articles could be not only interesting, but also
useful.

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