SolarEdge Announces Cooperation with HELIOPLANT® to Power its First-of-its Kind Cross-Shaped Bifacial Solar System for Alpine Regions

HELIOPLANT®’s unique cross-shaped support structure for bifacial solar modules addresses the challenges of conventional PV systems in alpine regions.

Ideally suited to bifacial solar applications, SolarEdge’s inverter + Power Optimizer technology will be used to overcome shading issues and performance mismatches, boosting energy yields.

The PV-System provides high energy yields even in the winter months, representing a potentially significant new market opportunity with thousands of ski resorts globally.

The first 6.3MWp HELIOPLANT®-SolarEdge installation in Sölden, Austria is now under construction and will power approx. one third of the annual energy needs of three ski resorts.

Sölden, Austria – 29th January 2026 – SolarEdge, a global leader in smart energy technology, today announces a cooperation with HELIOPLANT®, the Austrian developer of innovative solar systems for use in mountainous and high-altitude regions. The collaboration brings together HELIOPLANT®’s first-of-its-kind cross-shaped bifacial solar system and SolarEdge’s innovative inverter + Power Optimizer technology to overcome the challenges of conventional PV systems in high-alpine regions. The combined solution represents a potentially significant new market opportunity with thousands of ski resorts globally, with the first installation (6.3MWp) now under construction, and will power the three ski resorts in Sölden.

HELIOPLANT®’s bifacial solar solution for alpine regions

The use case for solar energy in mountain regions offers significant potential, particularly during winter when energy use in ski resorts is very high. Conventional linear PV systems, however, are unsuitable for extreme alpine conditions. Not only do they not cope well with snow drifts caused by changing wind conditions, but they also require high construction efforts (raising costs) and often suffer from reduced productivity from snowdrift.

HELIOPLANT® addresses this with its patented cross-design for bifacial solar, keeping solar modules snow-free and ensuring stable winter energy. The tree-like structure consists of four independent ‘wings’ on a column, each holding the total 15 or 16 bifacial PV modules depending on the slope. Crucially, its cross-shaped arrangement creates air turbulence even at low wind speeds, driving snow accumulation so the PV system remains snow-free. Around the structure, a natural snow crater forms, reflecting light to the underside of the modules to further boost energy yields (albedo effect). The tree-like design also makes the PV system well-suited for mountains, blending naturally into the landscape.

Florian Jamschek, Co-Founder of HELIOPLANT®, comments: “Bifacial PV systems are ideal for alpine regions because they can capture both direct sunlight and reflected light from snow, boosting overall energy yields. With our patented cross-shaped support structure, our solar panels stay snow-free providing maximum yields of clean solar energy to offset the high electricity demands of busy ski resorts. With around 6,000 ski resorts worldwide, there is enormous market potential.

As part of the agreement with SolarEdge, HELIOPLANT®’s tree-like structure will be powered by SolarEdge inverters and Power Optimizers to overcome the limitations of conventional PV systems. Traditional string solar inverters reduce the overall performance of the solar system to match the weakest performing panel on the string, meaning one shaded panel can reduce energy yield considerably. To address this issue, SolarEdge Power Optimizers allow each solar panel to operate independently, preventing underperforming panels from reducing the entire string's output – improving overall energy yield and revenue for the system. This is ideal for bifacial panels that can experience significant variations in rear-side power gain. In the case of HELIOPLANT®, even more so with light reflecting off the uneven snow.

Mr Jamschek adds: “While our tree-like structure for bifacial PV addresses the challenges of solar in high-altitude alpine regions, it also is susceptible to more shading on the panels. The only solution to overcome this problem and maximize energy yields was to incorporate SolarEdge technology. This means we can deliver on our promise to supply reliable and stable clean energy that ski resorts can rely on to offset their high energy demands.”

Successful pilot leads to new 6.3MWp 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 2,850 m in Sölden underneath the Tiefenbach glacier in Austria’s Ötztal Valley. Powered by SolarEdge technology, the PV system powered a ski lift for an entire season, significantly reducing reliance on costly grid electricity. Following this success, a new large-scale approximately 6.3MWp solar plant comprising around 800 HELIOPLANT® structures and SolarEdge inverters and Power Optimizers is now under construction in Sölden, Austria, at an altitude of 2850 to 3000m. Once completed (expected H2/2026), the solar plant will provide clean energy to three popular ski resorts in the region, covering approx. one-third of their annual energy needs (approximately 28GWh). This includes powering a range of facilities, from cable car systems and hospitality amenities to snow production.

Patrick Janak, Head of C&I DACH at SolarEdge: “We are excited to team up with HELIOPLANT® to bring more solar energy to alpine regions. By combining HELIOPLANT®’s innovative bifacial structures with our inverter + Power Optimizer technology, we are bringing superior economics to the table to unlock this largely untapped market. With conventional PV systems, this simply would not be possible.”

About HELIOPLANT®

HELIOPLANT® HELIOPLANT® is the result of over 15 years of developing PV systems in the mountains. The innovative design enables reliable energy generation in alpine environments even during winter, as the system keeps itself free of snow through wind-induced turbulence.

Snow drift in particular poses significant challenges for conventional systems in the mountains. However, the conditions at such locations are ideal in winter: the reflective snow cover; high and prolonged solar radiation, the low temperatures and the clean air all contribute to optimal performance. More consistent energy generation throughout the day and high yields even under diffuse light conditions make this technology the perfect solution for consumers in alpine regions as well as other areas.

HELIOPLANT® solves the challenges of energy generation at higher altitudes through its innovative cross-shaped or tree-like structure, integrating into the natural environment more harmoniously than conventional linear systems while also requiring fewer interventions in nature. HELIOPLANT® can be contacted online here.

About SolarEdge

SolarEdge is a global leader in smart energy technology. By leveraging world-class engineering capabilities and with a relentless focus on innovation, SolarEdge creates smart energy solutions that power our lives and drive future progress. SolarEdge developed an intelligent inverter solution that changed the way power is harvested and managed in photovoltaic (PV) systems. The SolarEdge DC-optimized inverter seeks to maximize power generation while lowering the cost of energy produced by the PV system. Continuing to advance smart energy, SolarEdge addresses a broad range of energy market segments through its PV, storage, EV charging, batteries, and grid services solutions.

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Ruth Stevenson , Incus Media

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