The Swiss authorities launched measures to hurry up the allowing and development of alpine PV within the Alps in October. A brand new incentive scheme for these installations is about to be introduced in April. pv journal spoke with Lionel Block, renewable vitality challenge supervisor at Swiss engineering agency Planair, concerning the new provisions.
Switzerland made adjustments to the Power Act in October 2022, specializing in pressing measures to make sure electrical energy provide in winter. The brand new Federal Legislation goals to create and speed up the development of huge PV programs put in on land within the Swiss Alps, 1,500 meters or greater above sea stage.
Particulars of the legislation have up to now been scarce. Earlier than the official publication anticipated in April this yr, pv journal spoke to co-author of the IEA-PVPS Job 1 report on PV purposes in Switzerland, Lionel Block, concerning the adjustments to come back.
“The thought is to actually deal with PV manufacturing in winter as a result of in Switzerland now we have a greater system yield (kWh / kWp) within the mountains than at low altitudes, the place there’s a excessive focus of clouds, ” the renewable vitality challenge supervisor of the Swiss engineering agency Planair mentioned pv journal.
The measures are speculated to incentivize alpine PV tasks with an annual vitality manufacturing of at the very least 10 GWh, equal to an put in capability of at the very least 8 MW, in accordance with Block.
The Swiss authorities will subsidize as much as 60% of the set up prices of eligible tasks. “This consists of prices for cabling, which could be very costly with alpine PV,” Block mentioned. “The prices for these alpine tasks are round CHF 6 ($6.47) / W, in comparison with CHF 1.2 / W for city installations. With these very excessive subsidies, it could actually nonetheless be worthwhile for the proprietor.”
To qualify for the subsidy, tasks should display a winter yield of at the very least 500 kWh/kWp, which is barely attainable in alpine circumstances, in accordance with Block. To satisfy this requirement, builders will possible deal with vertical PV installations and make the most of the upper albedo of bifacial modules, added the engineer.
Winter yields are prone to be measured in three years, in accordance with Block. “There’s a threat concerned for the challenge homeowners as a result of if the harvest situation will not be met, the subsidy won’t be paid – however the legislation will also be modified,” he added.
The Swiss authorities goals to achieve 2 TWh of alpine PV manufacturing utilizing an incentive scheme.
In September, the Swiss vitality firm Axpo commissioned a 2.2 MW vertical alpine PV challenge at Muttsee Dam, nearly 2,500 meters above sea stage. It’s mentioned to be the biggest alpine photo voltaic plant in Switzerland.
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