The AlpinSolar power plant has an output of 2.2 megawatts. It is installed 2,500 metres above sea level on the Muttsee dam wall of the Limmern pumped storage plant, where it is expected to produce around 3.3 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year. "The new alpine solar plant is a forward-looking project, because production here is primarily for the winter, when we increasingly need domestic electricity," Energy Minister Simonetta Sommaruga also knows. The plant is proof of the will to invest in the expansion of renewable energies in Switzerland - and thus to strengthen our security of supply, said the minister.
20-year PPA secures financing
Thanks to its alpine location, the plant will supply about half of its production during the winter half-year. Construction should have been completed this autumn, but bad weather and delays in global supply chains slowed progress. The plant is scheduled to be fully operational in August 2022. Denner, Switzerland's largest discounter, will purchase the Alpine solar power for 20 years through a power purchase agreement, or PPA.
One thing is clear: if Switzerland wants to achieve the energy transition, additional renewable production capacities are needed, especially in winter. However, there are always considerable challenges for these projects. The project partners call for simpler and faster approval procedures for investors and a funding framework that makes the construction of large-scale plants economically viable. (mfo)
