Alpine floating solar

[dan_b]

This looks pretty darned cool

[Stan]

Some details.

https://houseofswitzerland.org/swisssto ... swiss-alps

[nowty]

Some details.

https://houseofswitzerland.org/swisssto ... swiss-alps

When I saw the story yesterday I did not understand what the big deal was as there are many places with floating solar, but its seems there is a 50% uplift in energy output because of ...............

The Alpine effect
Three factors come together to enable this high-altitude solar farm to produce up to 50% more energy than one on low-lying land: the cold temperatures, stronger UV rays, and light reflected from the surrounding snow. Photovoltaic cells are more efficient in cold weather, as Fuchs points out. Söderström also highlights the potential of this choice of location for generating power, especially in winter: "There is much less fog at an altitude of 1,810 metres than lower down. And the snow reflects the sunlight, so the panels can harness more energy – a phenomenon known as the albedo effect." The use of two-sided modules is very effective here because, when snow lands on a panel, the light reflected from one side heats up the other side by generating energy, causing the snow to slide off.

[AE-NMidlands]

I wondered how resilient they will be - but I guess the Swiss will be up to speed on that!

It hadn't occurred to me that the lake is drained through the winter... if the panels float then when the lake is dry their mooring ropes will be slack - just when the winter storms could do most damage by lifting them. Maybe they will walk round them, coil up the slack and put a clamp on the shortened rope or chain.
A

[Mr Gus]

Yes, alpine solar needs us all to re-think & learn the added "bounce" of solar & altitude cool.
This will be fitted soon I think to a pre-existing hydro dam on the swiss french border over the hill from chamonix, it already has the pre-requisite visitor centre & a small steep funicular, solar is a logical step tapping into the pre-plumbed energy feed.

(it sits right on the border with emergency run off signs just off the road from the local train station & bus parking the cool stream to overly hot travellers is tempting, no idea how contained it would be under duress)

Hire a pedalo whilst you are there!
Vieux Emosson dam / Lake Emosson dam

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Le+ ... 14!9m1!1b1

Here is a hydro map of switzerland, the "bolt on potential is quite large & logical.
https://hydromaps.ch/#en/7/45.263/10.272/bl_hds/NULL

Likely that Dan has been close by, it was the connecting road that swoops down to chamonix valley floor that made me realise how prolific EV's were the other summer, sitting outside a micro-brewery sipping beer, 1 in 4 / 1 in 5 to my astonished eyes! ..massive regen opportunity

[dan_b]

I have indeed been there but it was before the BEV times - still had my Volvo diesel back then - how times have changed!

I really like the triple-whammy effect that the alpine setting has on the solar efficiency - makes a lot of sense doesn't it. Guess you could get useful generation in winter as a result?

[AE-NMidlands]

I have indeed been there but it was before the BEV times - still had my Volvo diesel back then - how times have changed!

I really like the triple-whammy effect that the alpine setting has on the solar efficiency - makes a lot of sense doesn't it. Guess you could get useful generation in winter as a result?

Useful, but how much/how many kW hr? Short days, deeper shade plus winter storms with thick black cloud will reduce generation significantly. It will be interesting to see any published output figures. Not saying it isn't worth doing, though.
A

[Mr Gus]

The only way is to try AE, & from that we'll have a good idea.

However the solar I used to encounter on fuggy days on the lakes / river (mostly on my speedboat) was astounding (I burn like a damned vampire)
The altitude means there will be snow caps around & snow by the lake in pockets, likely in the month of may between the rain showers it will be a balmy 28 - 32c by my experience out there in that neck of the woods.

It must be mentioned that along the road there are car ports with solar on the vineyard steppes before you drop into the valley floor before climbing again towards verbier & the like, plenty of solar installs low & high, lovely wooden solar carport "artistry"
If we could access some of the small scale data from around there...

[AE-NMidlands]

Agreed. The early mountaineers quickly discovered "snow-blinding" from the reflected light (on top of the higher UV which they might not have recognised) - and we also nearly got caught out at Jungfraujoch many years ago. It's arc-eye by another name.
You just don't realise how much light gets reflected back up off the snow...

Following on from that, I wonder how many nasal skin cancers there will be from the double irradiation off reflective sunglasses? Glass lenses might filter out UV reaching the eyes, but the reflection doubles what hits the nose.
Australians seem to have been taught to either wear sunglasses with a nose shield, or to plaster sunblock on their conks!
A

[Mr Gus]

Surprisingly I suspect it doesn't seem to work like that despite proximity of lenses to nose.
When spending weeks -month+ in these conditions (as a sensitive pale Scottish skinned soul) the nose is one of the less hard hit areas compared to forehead & cheeks (goggles dominate the face more so than glasses even) & whilst the nose might get a bit tender at times less pain than the contortible !? forehead & brow area.

Even then it comes down to bad skin, open pores & an aversion to add more oils (Sun proofing) of a regular sun cream, zinc stick is about all I can take, lest I deal with altitude fried skin and an erupting face of zits.

Wanders around in a bit beanie pulled firmly down over ears & brow home & abroad, in summer as before & maybe a wide brimmed lowe alpine bush hat, took me till around 35yrs of age to even be able to develop a bit of a tan.

& a pair of mirrored oakley's 9 months of the year, last summer I somehow managed to burn my retinas on the glaciers.
Added to the oddity, my pale legs never tan & hardly ever burn (backs maybe a bit) despite 30+ years of !mainly wearing shorts winter & summer, ..yes I am an accepted eccentric whose return to a resort is often recognised by being the only bloke in the snow in shorts.