Solar Integrated re-establishes itself as part of the ECD group
Since August 2009, Solar Integrated is part of the Energy Conversion Devices Group together with United Solar.
Part of the successful cooperation is the change in focus away from product manufacturing to EPC contracting of turnkey PV-projects. As such, Solar Integrated takes responsibility for the whole supply chain from administration, system design and engineering to purchasing, construction, operations and maintenance.
To further underline our connection, Energy Conversion Devices and Solar Integrated are adapting the same corporate colors – already reflected in our updated internet presence and new corporate brochure.
The first European installation of the MX PowerTilt Version on a roof of the German company Kordel Antriebstechnik GmbH in Duelmen
In the course of the renovation and rebuilding of two production halls, Kordel Antriebstechnik GmbH in Duelmen took the opportunity to turn these roofs into solar power generators.
Due to different roof geometrics two different systems have been applied. One roof, which provides sufficient slope, was covered with Solar Integrated’s well proven membrane product – the SI-T2 SolarRoof Membrane, while for the other roof with nearly no slope at all, the newly developed MX PowerTilt 3° system proved to be the optimal solution.
On a 3.660m² flat roof area a photovoltaic system with a capacity of a total of 152 kWp has been installed. The average energy yield of the system is projected to reach approx. 122.260 kWh per year. Because the weight of the new PV-system is comparably low with only 9.5 kg/m² it only has a minimal strain on the roofing area. Additionally, no ballast is required for fixation and wind-load security. The subconstruction is thermally welded to the roofing membrane without penetrating it, providing optimal protection against wind-loads.
The newly developed MX PowerTilt solution offers new opportunities for PV-systems on roof areas that were so far considered inappropriate for such installation. The system can be universally installed on different high quality roofing membranes and does not require any roof penetration for fixation. Hence, the waterproof roofing material as such is not being damaged and generation of solar energy on such roofs can be achieved long-term.
Another Swiss sports location is powered by our SolarRoof
Photovoltaic installation on the triple sports hall of the secondary school in Bonstetten, Switzerland
With the installation of a photovoltaic system on the low slope roof of their new sports hall, the secondary school of Bonstetten demonstrates its willingness to support sustainable climate protection goals. By producing clean energy from the sun, the sports hall owners can reach their objective to run the gymnasium in an ecological and economical way: The energy produced is mainly utilized for own consumption. Any additional quantities are fed into the public electricity net.
To realize the PV-system it was decided to use the thin-film SolarRoof Membrane from Solar Integrated Technologies. Whereas conventional modules require a tilt angle of 30 degrees, the thin-film modules from Solar Integrated can already be applied with a tilt angle of only three degrees – particularly suitable for the flat roof of the new sports hall, which has tilt angles between three and five degrees.
The low weight of the SolarRoof Membrane of only 4.9 kilogram per square-meter also proved to be beneficial. The flexible SolarRoof Membrane does not require a costly and heavy substructure and is hence particularly suited for roofs that are not capable of bearing high additional loads.
The roofs of the new hall consist of a wooden construction, which is provided with a vapor barrier and heat insulation. The roof was finalized by covering it with a heavy-duty roofing membrane from Sika-Sarnafil.
The flexible SolarRoof Membrane of Solar Integrated was supplied in rolls, rolled-out on the roof and hot-air welded to the Sika-Sarnafil roofing membrane. The flat installation does not lead to additional wind-loads. The cables of the thin-film modules are directly connected on the roof. To lead the cables to the inverters a special cable tube bend is used, which ensures the water tightness of the roof.
The high efficiency of the SolarRoof Membrane from Solar Integrated even at diffuse light conditions is a result of the triple-junction technology from Uni-Solar. The sunlight is captured in three different layers of the amorphous silicon cell depending on the wavelength. Particularly the blue light, prevalent in the morning and late afternoon hours or when it is cloudy, is absorbed in larger quantity, contributing essentially to the overall efficiency of the module.
Even if partially shaded the thin-film photovoltaic modules produce higher energy levels than conventional modules, because each cell of the module is connected by a bypass-diode. Hence, if one cell of the thin-film module is covered, the remaining cells continue to produce energy as usual. With crystalline silicon cells, in comparison, the functionality of the total module is affected.
Nearly 1 250 square meters of flat roof area was covered with 99 PV-modules, resulting to a total system capacity of 57.11 kWp. With this installation approx. 50 MWh of clean electricity are produced annually for on-site consumption or feeding into the grid of the utility of the canton Zurich. This corresponds to 44 tons of CO2 emission avoided every year. With the amount of electricity produced, more than eleven average 4-person-households can be energized.
This installation was realized with our local partners. Both the roofing membrane and the SolarRoof Membrane were installed by roof and façade builder Markus Schnider, Bonstetten. Cabeling and connections were handled by Furrer Solartechnik in Cham.
USA emerges as fastest growing PV market
The Greentech Media study “The Unites Stated PV Market Through 2013: Project Economics, Policy, demand and Strategy” comes to the conclusion that grid parity is advancing and will turn the US into the second strongest buyers’ market after Germany by 2012. According to Greentech Media especially the German market actors will benefit from the US market growth.
Compared to 2.23 billion dollars in 2009 in the US, 6 to 8 billion dollars are expected to be invested into photovoltaics in 2012. Despite the economic and financial crisis the installed photovoltaic demand increased from 320 megawatt in 2008 to about 440 megawatt in the past year. In the best case experts expect an increase of up to 48% per year- above all due to numerous large-scale projects.
Grid parity was reached in California and New Jersey past year and ten other US states reached grid parity in residential housing. By 2012 at least 11 further states will gain grid parity in commercial housing.
Basis for an environment-friendly energy supply: The development of a high-voltage direct-current (DC) transmission network (HVDC)
Germany is currently expecting a mass of large projects using renewable energies. From great offshore wind power plants in the North Sea to photovoltaic in the North-African desert - renewable energies conquer the global market, but the problem of energy storage remains.
The reason for this is the necessity to balance the fluctuating input of large amounts of solar and wind energy through conventional power plants. Depending on the renewable energy input, conventional power plants have to be powered up/down to keep the grid from overloading. This causes much effort and high costs and with an increasing role of renewable energies, even the alternating current (AC)-network would have to be enlarged to meet the new demands.
The alternative lies in the creation of a 600-Kilovolt DC-network to connect various energy centers in Europe and its surrounding countries to one great network. Not only is this more cost-effective than an enlargement of the AC-network, it is also more efficient and needs less power lines for energy transportation. A DC-network is especially suitable for long-distance energy transport without risking high energy loss in transit. On site the energy could still be distributed to consumers via AC-network. In spite of its high investment cost renewable energy could be made available to consumers at about 4.65 cent/kWh.
Currently, particularly private investors are laying the foundation for the development of a European AC-network. For example, a 580 kilometer long undersea cable is run between Norway and the Netherlands to connect the Scandinavian water and wind power centers.
Intersolar – visit us in Munich from 9-11th of June 2010 in hall B6, booth no. 470
Solar Integrated takes part in the Intersolar exhibition in Munich from 9 – 11th of June 2010. To underline our close connection to Uni-Solar and their building material partners, Solar Integrated shares the Uni-Solar booth.
In order to give customers and investors an overview of the total supply chain, Uni-Solar will provide a forum on its booth. During the three days of the exhibition the building material partners will present the solar roofing product solutions they have developed using the UNI-SOLAR PV-laminate. Find out more details on our Internet page soon.
Although the renewable energy sector is always considered to be a young industry, we are proud to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our mother company Energy Conversion Devices this year. Such vast experience with amorphous materials combined with 18 years of experience in the field of lightweight, flexible thin-film module production truly makes Energy Conversion Devices a pioneer and innovative leader of the industry.
In addition to its solar activities Energy Conversion Devices is also active in the fields of energy storage and information technologies. The company invented the nickel hydride battery, which is used in every hybrid vehicle manufactured today, and is actively developing nickel hydroxide, fuel cells and other hydrogen technologies.
Energy Savings Tip
Switch to energy-saving lamps
Since 2009, a six-stage plan for the replacement of conventional bulbs applies in the EU. Energy-saving lamps boast with an 80% lower energy consumption and a 10 times longer life-time. The investment costs are worth it!
The first step came into effect in September 2009 and includes a prohibition for the production and import of lamps with a lower efficiency than level C.
Conventional bulb: D-G
Halogen bulb: B-F
Compact fluorescent light: A-B
White LED: Strictly speaking, LEDs are not labeled yet, but meet A-B standards
But watch out - energy saving lamps are only environment-friendly if they are disposed of correctly. They are not to be disposed of in the regular household garbage, but rather as special waste and at collection points (of e.g. the manufacturer or Lightcycle).
