Mont Soleil

Aerial view of the photovoltaic system on the Mont Soleil

The Mont Soleil together with 1'289 m above sea level. M. the highest point of the entire ridge of the Montagne du Droit. It is located in the Swiss Jura mountains in the canton of Bern north of Saint- Imier. On the mountain there is the largest solar power plant in Switzerland; bears his name, the Mont Soleil but since the Middle Ages. The German name Sonnenberg refers not only to the Mont Soleil, but on the whole Montagne du Droit.

In structural terms, the geologic Mont Soleil forms a anticlinal folds of the Jura. It is bounded on the south by the Vallon de Saint- Imier, in the north by the plateau of the mountains free. The southern limb of the anticline drops down to the Vallon de Saint- Imier. Here are the upcoming competent rock strata of the upper Jurassic ( Malm ) are open in various locations. The northern flank of the anticline, however, has only a relatively small inclination. A special feature is the shape of the landscape champ Meusel on the southern slopes of Mont Soleil, northeast of Saint- Imier. It was formed not by erosion, but is the remnant of a meteorite impact in the prehistory and is considered as the largest preserved evidence of a Meteoritenimpakts in Switzerland.

At around 1,200 m at the upper southern slopes of Mont Soleil is the same hamlet. It consists mainly of holiday homes and colonies. The area is being developed since 1903 by a funicular railway from Saint -Imier ago; this was completely renovated in 2003. The mountain station is at 1,180 m above sea level. M. The crest of the Mont Soleil area is characterized by extensive extensive grazing, which is bordered by dry stone walls.

Solar power plant

Gained international recognition of the Mont Soleil because of its photovoltaic system. On a 20,000 m² large area then the largest photovoltaic solar power plant in Europe was established in 1992 to research and demonstration purposes. It has a power of 560 kW. The total area of ​​the solar cells is 4'575 m². This means that around 550 MWh of electricity generated annually. There is a close cooperation between the Company Mont -Soleil and the School of Engineering Saint- Imier and numerous specialists to test new technologies and to present the results of the interested circles. The system can also be visited. An approximately 4.5 km long trail leads from Mont Soleil to the northeast to the wind power plant Mont Crosin.