SolarEdge announces collaboration with HELIOPANT

SolarEdge, a global leader in smart energy technology, today announced a collaboration with HELIOPLANT, the Austrian developer of innovative solar systems for use in mountainous and high-altitude environments. The partnership combines HELIOPLANT's first cross-shaped bifacial solar system with SolarEdge's innovative inverter and power optimizer technology to overcome the challenges of conventional PV systems in alpine regions. The combined solution opens up a potentially significant new market segment with thousands of ski resorts worldwide. The first installation (6.3 MWp) is currently under construction in Sölden, Austria, and will power the three ski areas in Sölden.

• HELIOPLANT's unique cross-shaped support structure for bifacial solar modules solves the challenges of conventional PV systems in mountainous regions.

• Ideally suited for bifacial solar applications: SolarEdge's inverter and power optimizer technology is used to overcome shading problems and power fluctuations, thereby increasing energy yields.

• The PV system delivers high energy yields even during the winter months, opening up a potentially significant new market segment with thousands of ski resorts worldwide.

• The first 6.3 MWp HELIOPANT installation with SolarEdge in Sölden, Austria, is currently under construction and will cover approximately one third of the annual energy needs of three ski resorts.

The use of solar energy in mountainous regions offers considerable potential, especially in winter when energy consumption in ski resorts is very high. However, conventional linear PV systems are unsuitable for extreme alpine conditions. They not only cope poorly with snowdrifts resulting from changing wind patterns, but also require complex construction (which increases costs) and often suffer from productivity losses due to snowdrifts.

HELIOPLANT addresses these challenges with its patented cross design for bifacial solar modules, which keeps the modules snow-free and ensures a stable energy supply in winter. The tree-like structure consists of four independent "wings" on a column, supporting a total of 15 or 16 bifacial PV modules – depending on the slope. Crucially, the cross-shaped arrangement creates air turbulence even at low wind speeds, preventing snow accumulation and keeping the PV system clear. A natural snow depression forms around the structure, reflecting light onto the back of the modules and further increasing energy yields (albedo effect). The tree-like design also makes the PV system ideal for mountainous regions, as it blends harmoniously into the landscape.

Florian Jamschek, co-founder of HELIOPLANT, comments: “Bifacial PV systems are ideal for alpine regions because they capture both direct sunlight and reflected light from the snow, thus increasing overall energy yields. With our patented cross-shaped support structure, our solar modules remain snow-free and deliver maximum yields of clean solar energy to meet the high electricity demand of busy ski resorts. With around 6,000 ski resorts worldwide, there is enormous market potential.”

Under the agreement with SolarEdge, the tree-like structure of HELIOPLANT is powered by SolarEdge inverters and power optimizers to overcome the limitations of conventional PV systems. Traditional string inverters reduce the overall power output of the solar system to the level of the weakest module in the string—meaning that a shaded module can significantly reduce energy yield. To solve this problem, SolarEdge power optimizers allow each solar module to operate independently, so that underperforming modules do not affect the overall string output. This improves the overall yield and economic viability of the system. This solution is ideal for bifacial modules, which can exhibit significant variations in backside yield—even more so in HELIOPLANT due to light reflections off uneven snow.

Mr. Jamschek adds: “While our tree-like structure for bifacial PV solves the challenges of solar energy at high alpine altitudes, it does exhibit greater self-shading of the modules. The only solution to overcome this problem and maximize energy yields was the integration of SolarEdge technology. This means we can deliver on our promise to provide reliable and stable clean energy that ski resorts can depend on to meet their high energy demands.”

Successful pilot project leads to new 6.3 MWp installation for one of Austria's most famous ski resorts

In 2023, HELIOPLANT launched a pilot project with 12 bifacial, tree-like PV structures at an altitude of 2,850 m in Sölden, below the Tiefenbach Glacier in Austria's Ötztal valley. Powered by SolarEdge technology, the PV system supplied a ski lift for an entire season, significantly reducing dependence on expensive grid electricity. Following this success, a new large-scale solar power plant with a capacity of approximately 6.3 MWp is now being built in Sölden, Austria. This plant will consist of around 800 HELIOPLANT structures, SolarEdge inverters, and power optimizers, situated at an altitude of 2,850 to 3,000 m. Upon completion (in the second half of 2026), the plant will supply three popular ski resorts in the region with clean energy, covering approximately one-third of their annual energy needs (around 28 GWh). This includes powering a wide range of facilities, from cable car systems and restaurants to snowmaking.

Patrick Janak, Head of C&I DACH at SolarEdge: “We are delighted to be bringing more solar energy to alpine regions together with HELIOPLANT®. By combining HELIOPLANT’s innovative bifacial structures with our inverter and power optimizer technology, we are creating superior economic efficiency to tap into this largely untapped market. This would simply not be possible with conventional PV systems.”