Solar power plant

Good to know

The Mont-Soleil solar power plant went into operation in February 1992 as the largest photovoltaic installation in Europe at the time. The power plant has a nominal capacity of 560 kW and feeds some 550 MWh of electricity into the grid each year. The power plant covers the annual energy consumption of approximately 120 households. Since its inception, the power plant has generated over 14 GWh of electricity. The approximate 4.4 GWh of “gray energy” invested in constructing the solar power plant has therefore been recouped several times over. The amortization period for the entire power plant in energy terms was eight years. The primary function of the power plant is not production, however, but research.

In keeping with the environmental concept, the facility also allows sustainable land use. A herd of sheep lives among the solar modules, enabling continued agricultural use of the land. The sheep also keep the grass short, eliminating the need for expensive landscaping services.

Webcam

To watch the webcam click here.

Video

To watch the video click here.

Measurement data

For current measurement data from the Laboratory for Photovoltaic Systems at BFH in Burgdorf click here.

Facts and figures