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Shared Research Program Integration and Application

The IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency) Roadmap aims at 8,5 TWp of worldwide installed solar capacity in 2050, providing one  third of the total energy generation. For the Netherlands, the related ambition is to realize more than 0,2 TWp, which implies a total area of more than 1000 km2 of installed solar panels. This will correspond to about 4 to 5% of the total land area of this densely populated country, or to 1-2% of all available area if the water surface area could be counted as well. In support of these ambitions, Solliance Solar Research has chosen for a strong focus on aesthetically integrated solar technology: in order to enable multiple use of available area, and to maintain public acceptance. Moreover, it aims to achieve this at reduced cost and with higher added value: by mass customized production of solar integrated building elements and systems, and by realizing multi functional surfaces.

Our technological approach follows the societal challenge to integrate durable energy generation on a massive scale in our living environment without sacrificing scarcely available area, close to points of use, and with maximal added value. It is fully in line with the national durability agenda’s on “Sun and Buildings”, “Sun on Water”, “Sun on Infrastructure” and “Sun, Agriculture and Landscape”.

Sun on Buildings

In built environments (housing, commercial buildings) focus is on multi functional use of integrated solar elements in the construction of roofs and facades, including shadow tolerant electrical design, multi-stress durability testing, and colored or decorated surface finishing’s.

Sun on Infrastructure

For infrastructure, focus is on thin film solar integrated in road elements (transparent asphalts, high mechanical loads, power electronics compatible with public environment), noise barriers and crash barriers.

Sun on Water

Floating solar includes both PV on fresh water (basins, lakes) and salt water (off shore) environments. Specific topics are rugged strategies for floating, antifouling, anticorrosion, protection of electrical interconnects, mechanical load and vibration resistance.

Sun, Agriculture and Landscape

In Agriculture and Landscape, primary challenges are solar integration strategies that maximize crop yield, biodiversity and public acceptance. Examples of technological approaches are trackers/curtains, bifacial PV, yield modeling under variable albedo, and aesthetic landscape design.

Solliance Shared Research Program Integration and Application research topics:

Aligned with the durability agendas, the Shared Research Program Integration focuses on the following general topics:

  • Form and size freedom, meaning a solar cell can have any shape and size that is desired. In our view, a solar panel should be able to be cut to size at the construction site, or processed as semi-finished product capable of adding photovoltaic properties to existing products. This approach opens new possibilities and new businesses. But it also implies new production processes to developed.
  • Reliability of solar panels and elements. Of course we ensure that our solutions are sustainable and comply with the imposed requirements of lifespan and efficiency.
  • Electrical system integration. Developing a solar foil that can be applies anywhere, means you have to make the foil itself shadow tolerant. The integration of electronics like by-pass diodes and mini-inverters in the solar foil is one o the solutions we are researching.
  • Yield modeling and determination. Questions about the applicability and what can be expected of a solar system? Our experts can also catch up on this with advanced simulation software.
For more information on Shared Research and Integration of thin-film solar

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