Have you ever wondered what they do in cities that, due to their orography or location, spend a large part of the year in the shade? In reality, we are not even talking about areas far north of the planet, but rather close to us. Discover the Viganella mirrorthrough which we can say that Spain brings light to Italy.
A city illuminated with a mirror? The case of Viganella
Viganella is a small town in northern Italy, in the Lombardy region. It is located between high mountains that prevent the sun’s rays from reaching the city during the winter months.
Because of this special geographical location, between November and February remains completely dark, without receiving a single ray of sunshine. This lack of sunlight has always been a major problem for the city’s nearly 200 residents.
The problem – which they had been struggling with for decades – was that they were forced to switch on electric lights even during the day. Do you understand why it was an urgent matter? Imagine the energy consumption.
The situation changed in 2006, then a huge mirror on the mountain about Viganella, which reflects sunlight into the city during the day in the months with little sunlight.
What does the Spanish-made mirror that lights up an Italian city look like?
He Viganella mirror It is designed and manufactured by the Spanish company Mondial SA, based in San Sebastián. This company specializes in manufacturing large mirrors for solar energy applications.
We saw it – it is impressive – and it has a parabolic shape, is 17 meters wide x 10 meters high and weighs about 100 tons. It consists of a very shiny flexible compression membrane, attached to a metal structure.
This Spanish-made mirror captures sunlight and reflects it onto the town square during the winter months, when the mountain blocks the sun. This way, residents in the center of Viganella can enjoy natural light, despite being in the shade.
The installation of this large solar mirror demonstrates the capacity for innovation and technology of the Spanish company that designed it. It also shows how creative solutions are possible improving quality of life in inaccessible locations.
An idea that has already been experimented with in other countries
The idea of using giant mirrors to reflect sunlight is not unique to Viganella. There are several other cities around the world that have implemented similar solutions to light their streets during the winter months.
One of the most famous cases It comes from the town of Rjukan in Norway. Due to its location between the mountains, it does not receive direct sunlight from September to March. Can you imagine living in such an environment?
In 2013, a 17-meter-wide mirror was installed on the mountain opposite the city, reflecting and redirecting sunlight. However, in this case it is more of a project that wanted to bring relief, regardless of whether it was with renewable sources (which it is).
In China, the city of Lin’an also installed a solar mirror in 2016 to illuminate a public square in the winter months. The mirror is 40 square meters in size and can reflect sunlight for 5 to 6 hours a day in the darkest months.
He Viganella mirror It’s further proof that our country has a lot to say in Europe, don’t you think? The innovation of our industry is seen as an example, despite the ‘brain drain’ that sometimes affects us. Of course, another reason to trust that we will do something right.