Copyright Interesting Engineering
Researchers in Switzerland have developed a model to study how snow patterns affect solar photovoltaic (PV) performance in alpine environments. Their work focuses on optimizing PV systems built using Helioplant — a patented vertical solar framing structure from Austria. The study highlights that alpine solar installations can deliver strong winter power output thanks to sunlight reflected by snow. However, excessive snow accumulation can block or even bury panels, leading to reduced efficiency and potential damage. According to researchers from Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research, determining the most effective design for both standalone and large-scale alpine PV systems remains an open question, though Helioplant’s vertical setup shows strong promise in reducing snow buildup. “Key findings show that grouping units together reduces the erosion capacity of the cross structure,” said researchers in the study abstract. Snow-resilient solar design Soiling is the second most critical factor influencing photovoltaic (PV) efficiency after solar radiation, particularly in high-sunlight regions. In snowy areas, snow particles contribute significantly to soiling, with snow-induced generation losses reaching up to 100 percent during winter. According to researchers, these losses vary widely due to differences in climate and system design, including module tilt angle, height, and layout, which determine how effectively snow sheds from panels. When snow accumulates beneath the modules and reaches their lower edge, it blocks further shedding, forcing panels to rely on slow melting for clearance. Hence, minimizing adjacent snow buildup is vital for maintaining power output in alpine PV systems. Helioplant, a patented vertical photovoltaic (PV) framing system developed by Austrian engineering firm Ehoch2, is designed to reduce snow buildup on alpine solar installations. The structure features a cross-shaped frame with four solar wings that passively prevent snow accumulation within the panel area. To evaluate its performance, researchers applied a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model called Snowbedfoam to simulate snow transport and assess the snow-drifting effects around Helioplant systems. Snowbedfoam, an OpenFOAM-based Eulerian–Lagrangian solver, enables precise modeling of snow movement and deposition patterns. The study marks the first application of a detailed snow transport model to PV structures. The simulations were conducted as part of a sensitivity analysis aimed at identifying how design variations affect snow behavior, according to PV Magazine. The results provide practical guidelines for optimizing the layout and configuration of vertical PV systems in alpine environments, supporting the development of more efficient and snow-resilient solar installations. Wind-aligned systems The study combined simulations with field observations conducted at a matching test site to evaluate snow behavior around Helioplant installations. Key parameters analyzed included azimuth, height above ground, spacing between units, group size, and alignment. The findings produced several best-practice recommendations for optimizing alpine PV layouts. Results indicated that the gap between the modules and the ground should exceed 0.6 meters to minimize snow buildup, and that the structures should be aligned as closely as possible to prevailing wind directions to avoid sheltered zones where snow accumulates. Sites with wind patterns coming from perpendicular or opposite directions were found to perform best. According to the team, the research emphasizes the value of combining CFD modeling with small-scale field testing, especially when scaling up to large alpine PV plants. The approach and simulation methods apply to various PV mounting systems, not just Helioplant configurations. Future work will focus on integrating snow-deposition modeling with PV yield simulations to more accurately predict energy losses and on expanding analyses to more complex, uneven alpine terrain. The details of the team’s research were published in the journal Cold Regions Science and Technology.
