2019/01/07 by Annelen Kahl, Jérôme Dujardin, Michael Lehning · 2 citations
Social Sciences · Environmental Science · Computer Science · #Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy #Photovoltaic Systems and Sustainability #Solar Radiation and Photovoltaics
paper · doi:10.1073/pnas.1720808116
openalex publication_date 2019/01/07 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/21
) steeper-than-usual panel tilt angles. In addition to spatial estimates of the production potential, we compare the performance of different PV placement scenarios in urban and mountain environments for the country of Switzerland. The results show that the energy deficit in a future fully renewable production from wind power, hydropower, and geothermal power could be significantly reduced when solar PV is installed at high elevations. Because the temporal production patterns match the typical demand more closely than the production in urban environments, electricity production could be shifted from summer to winter without reducing the annual total production. Such mountain installations require significantly less surface area and, combined with steeper panel tilt angles, up to 50% of the winter deficit in electricity production can be mediated.