Even under a blanket of snow, this 37.06 kWp vertical solar installation in Switzerland has generated a 3.61 MWh of clean energy! This system, installed by Growsolutions, is powered by 1 SE30K inverter and 68 P850 power optimizers. SolarEdge technology ensures each panel performs at its peak, even when covered in snow.

The first big vertical installations with classical size bifacial standard modules with an installed capacity of 112,42 kW per peak. This project was realised in 2020 and contracted by Solarspar on the Coca-Cola bottling plant in Vals (Switzerland). Since snow reflects sunlight, the conditions for photovoltaic systems are ideal, even in light clouds. In winter, they provide more electricity than solar modules on a house roof in the lowlands, and thanks to the vertical installation, no snow will stick.

Riders’ green roof in Laax (Switzerland) is the first to trial cutting-edge vertical solar panels that produce 25,000 kWh of solar energy each year, and even produce energy when snow lies on the roof. Realised in 2020, advised by Growsolutions, owned by Weisse Arena Gruppe. A new design was made to customize 4 cell-lined modules to reduce the height of vertical installations. It was the question of visual design related to the building.

Werkhof Scheidegg in Winterthur was realised in 2013 and used for research goals. Since 2012, Solarspar and the ZHAW have been looking for new methods to make optimum use of solar energy in combination with greenery. A test facility at the Scheidegg work yard of Winterthur showed the partners the strengths and weaknesses of combined solutions. The focus was on the cooling effect of evapotranspiration by plants; it exists, but less than 1%. The effect is minimised – the increased productivity of PVs on gravel roofs and irrigated green roofs is only 0,7%.

This energy green roof on Geiselweidstrasse in Winterthur (Switzerland) is a combination of vertical and butterfly modules, and was realised in 2023. The maximum production of this combined solution is 15 kW (6,5 kWp of butterfly + 8,5 kWp of vertical). The bifacial installations in this case are utilised partly for safety and collective protection on a roof which is an ideal solution for space optimisation. It covers around 50% of self-consumption for this residential building.

This project on the Catholic parish hall in Wiesendangen was realised in 2022. The whole system produces a power of 16,12 kW per peak, it includes 62 bifacial modules of 260 W. All steps of the project are realised by Growsolutions.

Eichgut’s energy green roof of 10,1 kWp in Winterthur (Switzerland) was realised in 2019 by Solarspar together with a research team from the ZHAW, a sophisticated system was developed to provide new insights for the optimal use of green roofs in combination with solar energy generation. Because of the wind, shadow cast factors and regulations on the height of modules at that time small PV modules with 20 cells were assembled on a substructure of the company ZinCo, instead of commercial 60-cell modules.

This project was realised on a bank roof located on Josefstrasse in Zürich realised in 2022, have a combined system of vertical and classical south-facing installations producing around 88 kWp. This energy green roof has biodiversity islands and water ponds which are helpful for the establishment of species and for creating of local community in the middle of an urbanized area, providing shelters for insects, spiders, and birds.

From summer 2019, 2660 elevated solar modules produce around 850,000 kilowatt hours of electricity from the sun on the warehouse building of the Zürich Opera House. The panels are half-oriented to the east and west.

This project was realised in 2021 on the roof of the pump station for the sludge wastewater treatment. This old building, built back in the 70s, has 2 types of PV installations: vertical and south oriented with an installed capacity of 6,72 kWp. In the same year, an opening ceremony was held by the Swiss ambassador Krystyna Marty Lang.

1st energy green roof in Hanaton (Israel), realised by BLDVEG in 2023. The maximum power of the system is 9 kWp, which consists of 16 bifacial modules of 545 W. This project is advised by Growsolutions. The system provides a cooling effect for the building that diminishes energy consumption on air conditioning. A decrease in temperature at 2°C saves 20% of energy on cooling in summer.

The project was realised on the school’s roof for handicapped children in 2022. The system contains vertical and south-oriented PV installations with a capacity of 6,72 kW per peak. In the same year in December, keepers held an opening ceremony.