Bright spots. The innovative diversity of the solar industry.

Researchers at the KU Leuven in Belgium have achieved an impressive success: Together with the engineering firm Comate, they developed solar modules which, in addition to their traditional function, can also capture water from the air and produce hydrogen from it. The technology behind it: The modules use solar energy to split water molecules and produce hydrogen gas. The hydrogen is then stored under pressure using a compressor and can be discharged via pipes integrated into the design of the photovoltaic system. The hydrogen can be used to generate both electricity and heat by means of combined heat and power generation.

According to the researchers, the Solhyd project can currently produce up to 250 liters of hydrogen per day. Around 20 modules are needed to reliably supply a detached house, including a heat pump, with electricity and heat in winter. Work is currently underway to make the innovation ready for series production – according to the developers, the product should be commercially available as early as 2026

^{Source text: Solhyd Project | Image: Comate | https://www.comate.be/en/cases/hydrogen-panels}

Until now, greenhouses that wanted to use photovoltaics faced a dilemma: sealing the glazing with solar panels reduced the amount of sunlight, which in turn reduced the yield. The Swiss start-up Voltiris meets this challenge with an impressive design. impressive design.

Plants require red and blue light, i.e. a certain part of the light spectrum, for photosynthesis. Using colour-optimised photovoltaic modules, which use so-called dichroic mirrors, the red and blue light is directed specifically to the plants, while the green and near-infrared light is directed directly to the solar cells. The result: by splitting the light spectrum, the greenhouse's CO2 emissions have been reduced by around 50 % without any loss in yield. The aim is to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 70%, which depends primarily on the greenhouse's existing energy system. With the help of a special tracking device, the modules rotate with the sun and ensure a 40% longer electricity production period. The aim is to be ready for series production by 2023.

^{Source: Voltiris | https://voltiris.com/solution}

To build high-performance photovoltaic systems, you need space. The Swiss energy service provider CKW found this at more than 1,000 metres above sea level in a disused satellite dish. Far away from shadows and above the fog line, it offers ideal conditions for producing solar power.

Another highlight: the satellite dish can be rotated and tilted to align it with the path of the sun and maximise the active production time. The system currently produces up to 110,000 kWh per year using bifacial solar modules. These utilise both direct irradiation on the front and indirect light on the back to generate electricity.

This electricity is sourced from the Swiss network service provider Leuk TDC, which also operates solar modules on the roof of its data centre with a further 550,000 kWh.

^{Source: CKW AG | https://www.ckw.ch/ueber-ckw/medienstelle/medienmitteilungen/2022/europas-erste-solaranlage-in-satellitenschuessel}

Solar systems have a disadvantage: they naturally only produce the most electricity when the sun is shining - often even more than is needed by the consumer at that moment. Conversely, most electricity is often needed when the sun is not shining. This problem can be solved with energy storage systems. So far, systems with lithium-ion technology have mostly been used.

The Munich-based start-up VoltStorage has developed a new type of energy storage system that utilises vanadium redox flow technology. The energy is channelled into two liquid tanks with differently charged electrolyte liquids, fed into battery cells via a pump system and thus chemically stored. The fact that the liquid can be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner and is non-explosive also contributes to the sustainability of the solution. The storage system is also characterised by its longevity, as it can be charged and discharged as often as required without losing storage capacity.

^{Source ext: VoltStorage | Image: Own illustration based on VoltStorage | https://voltstorage.com/technologie}

Travelling is part of life for many people, but in the wake of the climate crisis, it is increasingly being scrutinised from an energy perspective. Students at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands have found a way to discover the world in an environmentally friendly way. They developed a solar-powered motorhome called Stella Vita, which has a foldable solar roof with a surface area of 17.5 square metres. On a sunny day, it can travel up to 730 kilometres at a top speed of 120 km/h.

The vehicle's sophisticated aerodynamics, which can be optimised through the hydraulic movement of many vehicle parts, also contribute to these figures, further increasing the range with the same energy input. Impressive: not only the drive, but also all electronic devices on board are powered by the solar system, making the motorhome a completely self-sufficient system.

^{Source: Solarteam Eidhoven | https://solarteameindhoven.nl/article?presenting-our-newest-solar-vehicle-stella-vita}

Efficient overall process. Where measurement technology is used in networked energy systems.