Elettronica
SOITEC : WITH SUPPORT FROM SOITEC, FONDATION ÉNERGIES POUR LE MONDE INSTALLS A CONCENTRATOR PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM IN MADAGASCAR
With support from Soitec,
Fondation Énergies pour le Monde INSTALLS a concentratOR photovoltaic system in Madagascar
First installation of its kind in the country is part of Sunidarity initiative,
launched by Soitec to help humanitarian projects benefit from autonomous solar energy generation
Paris, October 10th, 2013 - One of the winners of the Sunidarity initiative , Fondation Énergies pour le Monde (Energy for the World Foundation), has just finished installing a concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) system in southern Madagascar. The Plug&Sun(TM) system from Soitec, one of the world's leading manufacturers of CPV systems and founder of the Sunidarity initiative, enables independent solar-power generation in areas without access to the electricity grid.
The rural electrification project put forward by Fondation Énergies pour le Monde won over the Sunidarity jury with its original and on-target approach to bring electricity to a small community in Madagascar. To fulfill the project, Fondation Énergies pour le Monde was awarded a Plug&Sun system, as were other Sunidarity winners.
Set up in the commune of Ambondro, near Ambovombe, the Plug&Sun system comprises two trackers capable of generating 2.28 kWp for a total of up to 12 kWh per day. Fondation Énergies pour le Monde has coupled the Plug&Sun trackers with a small electrical network combining a set of batteries and two wind turbines installed in 2010 to supply additional power and ensure the continuity of electricity generation for the whole village. This project is the first decentralized rural electrification operation of its kind in Madagascar.
A Soitec technician assisted in assembling the CPV systems on site, connecting them to the existing power system and training local technical personnel in maintenance and servicing.
Through this operation, Fondation Énergies pour le Monde and Soitec are contributing to the fight against poverty by using a technical solution that matches the social context and energy usage of the community. Access to local, renewable energy helps improve living conditions in terms of domestic comfort, health and education for rural populations and contributes to the development of income-generating activities, eliminating the need for fossil fuels.
Yves Maigne, director of Fondation Énergies pour le Monde, said, "The installation of a hybrid wind-solar system is a first, important step. Within a year, we will have sufficient feedback to be able to evaluate the system's operation. That will help us decide on the use of Plug&Sun for eight other Malagasy villages already identified by our Foundation."
Gaetan Borgers, executive vice president of the Solar Energy Division at Soitec, added, "Our concentrating photovoltaic technology is especially well suited to areas that enjoy abundant sunlight, where the output from our modules is more than twice as high as that of standard photovoltaic products. Our range of products also means we are able to supply systems for power facilities generating hundreds of megawatts as well as to respond to off-grid project requirements. With the Sunidarity initiative, we are delighted to help organizations such as Fondation Énergies pour le Monde benefit from our technology."
About concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) technology:
Soitec's CPV technology uses triple-junction cells mounted on a glass plate. Fresnel lenses, manufactured using silicone on glass, concentrate sunlight 500 times before it reaches the cells, which convert it into electricity. A metal frame holds two glass plates to form highly robust, durable and resilient modules. By combining several modules on biaxial trackers, which use a proprietary algorithm to automatically optimize their position based on the path of the sun, Soitec's technology maximizes energy generation throughout the day.
The Plug&Sun system was designed to meet the energy needs of isolated sites. The system comprises two or three trackers linked to an energy management system and a set of batteries. Each tracker is made up of 12 CPV modules (total surface area: 4.2m ) with peak power of 1.14 kWp. Using an integrated battery system, the electricity produced during the day by the trackers can be stored and used to supply all kinds of electrical equipment. Plug&Sun takes only a few hours to install so it can be rolled out quickly.
About Sunidarity:
Sunidarity is an initiative launched by Soitec, the world leader in revolutionary semiconductor materials for electronic and energy industries (www.soitec.com). It supports fair and sustainable local development projects initiated by NGOs, foundations and non-profit organizations. These organizations can thus benefit from independent solar power generators (Plug&Sun) and help improve living conditions for populations that remain on the margins of economic growth due to a lack of access to energy.
The projects put forward cover various areas such as education, information, communication, health and agriculture. They must constitute a major step forward in terms of local development and respond to a previously unresolved issue, through solar-energy applications made possible by Plug&Sun technology.
Alongside Fondation Énergies pour le Monde, three other projects were selected for the first round of Sunidarity awards in December 2012. Further information on the winning projects and the next round is available on www.sunidarity.com .
About Fondation Énergies pour le Monde (Energy for the World Foundation):
Fondation Énergies pour le Monde was recognized as a public-interest organization by the French Prime Minister's decree of March 8, 1990. It was created on the initiative of the Observatoire des Énergies Renouvelables (French Renewable Energies Observatory). Fondation Énergies pour le Monde endeavors to support the development of underprivileged populations by supplying them with energy. Leading projects on every continent, it gives priority to the use of environmentally friendly technologies, including photovoltaics, wind power and micro-hydropower. To find out more, visit www.energies-renouvelables.org
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