Austria’s Pitztal Glacier, the country’s highest ski area, has built a solar farm

The system, which was tested with a smaller facility last winter, will generate approximately 1,450,000kWh of power annually, energy equivalent to the needs of 380 to 420 households per year. This figure represents around a third of the ski centre’s energy requirements.

The farm covers 100m² and has solar panels suspended on twin cables that are 1,500m long in total, which can be tilted to maximise exposure to sunlight and, when needed, to tip off snowfall. With far better exposure, the solar farm works much more effectively than those closer to sea level.

The new solar farm at Pitztal (pictured above) will meet a third of the resort’s energy requirements

“I hope more skiing areas will produce their energy themselves,” said Florian Jamschek of the Ehoch2 (www.ehoch2.co.at) company behind the new solar farm.

The Pitztal Glacier has one of Austria’s longest ski seasons, from September right the way through till May.